CT Sun Immortalizes UConn Icon Tina Charles as ‘Sun Legend’

A Big Day for a Basketball Superstar

Imagine playing a crippled you love, becoming 1 of the champion ever astatine it, and past having your jersey hung up successful the rafters forever. That’s precisely what’s happening to Tina Charles connected Tuesday!

The Connecticut Sun—Connecticut’s nonrecreational women’s hoops team—is honoring Tina by making her a "Sun Legend." This is the highest grant the squad gives. Her No. 31 jersey volition beryllium raised to the ceiling of Mohegan Sun Arena, wherever it volition enactment everlastingly alongside the different greats.

Important Point: This ceremonial happens Tuesday astatine 7 p.m. earlier the Sun play the Chicago Sky. It’s other peculiar due to the fact that the Sun lone person four location games near ever earlier the squad moves to Houston!

Why Is Tina Charles Such a Big Deal?

Tina isn’t conscionable a bully player—she’s arguably the greatest subordinate successful Sun history. Here’s why:

First-Ever League MVP for the Franchise

In 2012, Tina became the first Sun subordinate ever to triumph the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. That means she was voted the champion subordinate successful the entire league that year!

She Still Holds the Records

Even though she played for different teams later, Tina still owns the Sun’s vocation records for:

• Points per game: 17.3
• Rebounds per game: 10.8
• Double-doubles (10+ points AND 10+ rebounds successful a game): 80
• 20-point, 20-rebound games: 3

ELI5 Definition: A "rebound" is erstwhile a subordinate grabs the shot aft a missed shot. A "double-double" means hitting treble digits successful 2 stats (like points and rebounds) successful 1 game. It’s a motion of an all-around ascendant performance!

Her Journey: From UConn to the Pros

1. College Dominance astatine UConn

Before the pros, Tina was a Husky legend astatine the University of Connecticut. She led UConn to back-to-back undefeated nationalist championships (2009, 2010). That means they won every azygous game 2 years successful a row!

2. Drafted #1 Overall

The Sun picked Tina first wide successful the 2010 WNBA Draft. She didn’t disappoint.

3. Rookie of the Year & Record Setter

In her precise archetypal season, Tina:

• Won WNBA Rookie of the Year
• Set the franchise grounds for violative rebounds successful a play (129) — a grounds that inactive stands today!

4. First Stint Success (2010–2013)

• Led the Sun to the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals
• Earned 2 All-WNBA First Team honors (top 5 players successful the league)
• Made 2 All-Star teams
• Won that 2012 MVP (18.0 points, 10.5 rebounds per game)

5. The Farewell Season (2024)

Tina came backmost to the Sun for 1 past thrust successful 2024. Even successful her last season, she led the squad successful scoring (16.3 points per game). Talk astir going retired connected top!

The Sun Legends Club: Elite Company

Tina joins an unthinkable radical of inductees. The Class of 2026 Sun Legends includes:

Already successful the rafters: Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Margo Dydek, Nykesha Sales, Katie Douglas, Lindsay Whalen, Asjha Jones.

Coming up next: Legendary manager Mike Thibault gets inducted connected September 20.

Tina’s Own Words

"To beryllium named a Connecticut Sun Legend is thing I honestly ne'er imagined, and I’m conscionable incredibly grateful… It’s specified a full-circle infinitesimal due to the fact that everything started for maine successful Connecticut, and present this section ends present too. When I deliberation astir this honor, I deliberation astir the radical who made it possible—my teammates, coaches, the beforehand office, and particularly the fans who embraced maine from time one. Connecticut became home, and it helped signifier not lone the subordinate I became, but the pistillate I americium today."

Summary

• Tina Charles is being inducted arsenic a Connecticut Sun Legend connected Tuesday.
• Her No. 31 jersey volition beryllium retired and hung successful the rafters.
• She is the franchise’s archetypal MVP and all-time person successful points & rebounds per game.
• Her career: UConn champion → #1 Draft Pick → Rookie of the Year → MVP → Franchise GOAT.
• This is 1 of the last 4 location games ever for the Sun successful Connecticut earlier the squad relocates to Houston.

FAQ

What does "Sun Legend" mean?

It’s the highest grant the Connecticut Sun franchise gives. It means your jersey is retired (no 1 other wears that number) and you’re recognized arsenic 1 of the astir important figures successful squad history.

Why is Tina Charles considered the top Sun subordinate ever?

She’s the lone Sun subordinate to triumph league MVP, and she still holds the franchise vocation records for scoring average, rebounding average, double-doubles, and 20/20 games—even years aft leaving and coming back.

What’s a "double-double"?

When a subordinate gets 10 oregon much successful 2 statistical categories successful a azygous game. For Tina, it was astir ever points and rebounds. She did it 80 times arsenic a Sun!

Is the Connecticut Sun squad leaving?

Yes. After this season, the franchise is relocating to Houston. Tuesday’s crippled is 1 of lone four remaining location games successful Connecticut history.

When tin I ticker the ceremony?

Tuesday astatine 7:00 p.m. astatine Mohegan Sun Arena, earlier the Sun vs. Chicago Sky game.

Thank you for reading! Whether you’re a longtime Sun instrumentality oregon caller to women’s basketball, Tina Charles’s communicative is 1 of greatness, loyalty, and a cleanable full-circle moment.