Tina Charles, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun, is returning to the franchise where her professional career began. Charles, who won the league MVP award in 2012 with the Sun, brings an impressive résumé that includes eight WNBA All-Star selections, nine All-WNBA honors, and three Olympic gold medals.
Now entering her age-36 season, Charles will provide valuable veteran leadership for the Sun, who have undergone significant roster changes. Key departures include Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, and DiJonai Carrington, while head coach Stephanie White has also left to take over the Indiana Fever.
Despite not yet winning a WNBA championship, Charles has had a decorated career. After four seasons with Connecticut, she joined the New York Liberty in 2014, where she spent six years and finished in the top three of MVP voting three times. She opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic before joining the Washington Mystics in 2021, where she placed fifth in MVP voting. In 2022, Charles split time between the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm. She sat out the 2023 WNBA season but returned in 2024 with the Atlanta Dream.
Beyond the professional connection, this move also brings Charles back to Connecticut, where she played college basketball. A four-year standout at UConn, she won two national championships and was named National Player of the Year in the 2009-10 season.
With her career winding down, it remains to be seen how long Charles will continue playing beyond 2025—if at all. If this is her final chapter, it would be a fitting conclusion to finish where it all started.
