UNCASVILLE, CT - SEPTEMBER 24: Connecticut Sun players pose for pictures at the conclusion of the WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between Toronto Tempo and Connecticut Sun on September 24, 2026, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire WNBA: SEP 24 Toronto Tempo at Connecticut Sun EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon26092405
UNCASVILLE, CT - SEPTEMBER 24: Connecticut Sun players pose for pictures at the conclusion of the WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between Toronto Tempo and Connecticut Sun on September 24, 2026, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire WNBA: SEP 24 Toronto Tempo at Connecticut Sun EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon26092405
For nearly two decades, Mohegan Sun Arena has been home to the Connecticut Sun. Now, as the season wound down, the Sun took the court for something bigger than a game: a night that mattered far more than the final score.
The Sun made sure it ended the right way, closing out 24 seasons in Connecticut with a 95-81 win over the Toronto Tempo. It was the perfect send-off for a franchise that will begin a new chapter in Houston for the 2027 season, reviving the Comets name once carried by the league's first dynasty.
As the emotion of the night set in, team president Jen Rizzotti addressed the crowd post-game through tears, thanking them for their years of support.
"You've proved that Connecticut deserves a WNBA team," Rizzotti said, as reported by Yahoo Sports. "I want you all to know that no matter what happens from here, this team, as they move on to the next chapter of their careers, the success that all of them have in their future, you will always be a part of that."
COLLEGE PARK, GA - SEPTEMBER 17: The Connecticut starting five talks things over during the WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Connecticut Sun and the Atlanta Dream on September 17th, 2026 at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, GA. Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire WNBA: SEP 17 Connecticut Sun at Atlanta Dream EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260917004
COLLEGE PARK, GA - SEPTEMBER 17: The Connecticut starting five talks things over during the WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Connecticut Sun and the Atlanta Dream on September 17th, 2026 at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, GA. Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire WNBA: SEP 17 Connecticut Sun at Atlanta Dream EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260917004
Forward Aaliyah Edwards helped power the win with 16 points and said the moment hit differently once the final buzzer sounded.
"It was just a great moment to be out there with my teammates and staff and seeing nobody leave the game early," Aaliyah Edwards said during a postgame interview. "Everyone stayed out in the crowd."
Brittney Griner, who joined the Sun this season hoping to eventually play in her hometown of Houston, grabbed the team flag postgame and took a victory lap around the court, saluting the fans one final time.
As the players and coaches took one last look around the arena, the moment made clear that while the Sun's next chapter begins in Houston, the legacy they built in Connecticut isn't going anywhere.
Connecticut Sun leaves behind a legacy built over two decades
The Mohegan Tribe bought the team in 2003 for just $10 million, becoming the first non-NBA ownership group in league history. At the time, the WNBA was still finding its footing. Fans in Uncasville embraced the team from day one.
That landscape looks almost unrecognizable today. Franchise values have soared alongside a massive new television deal, and according to reports put out by Yahoo Sports, Fertitta's $300 million purchase of the Sun reflects that shift.
Player pay tells a similar story, with the league minimum climbing from $30,000 in 2003 to $270,000 now.
Connecticut never captured a title, despite Finals runs in 2019 and 2022. Still, the franchise leaves behind a 461-375 record and a legacy shaped by stars like Alyssa Thomas, Nykesha Sales, and Jonquel Jones.
The WNBA could eventually return to New England, but by most accounts, it won't be coming back to Connecticut.
Even so, what the Sun built in Uncasville, from a bargain purchase to a $300 million franchise, will remain part of the league's story for years to come.
Written by
Chionia Libania Colaco