The history of the Connecticut Sun is one of the most unusual stories in professional basketball. The franchise began in Orlando as the Orlando Miracle in 1999, moved to Connecticut in 2003, became the first WNBA franchise independently owned outside an NBA organization, reached the WNBA Finals four times, produced two league MVPs and a Rookie of the Year, and built a reputation around toughness, defense and consistency. The Connecticut chapter of the franchise comes to an end after the 2026 season, when the team moves to Houston under new ownership. The WNBA approved the sale to Tilman J. Fertitta in May 2026, with the relocation scheduled for the 2027 season. The Beginning: The Orlando Miracle The franchise entered the WNBA as the Orlando Miracle for the 1999 season. The team was part of the RDV Sports organization associated with Orlando Magic owner Rich DeVos. The Miracle played in Orlando from 1999 through 2002. The Miracle’s best season came in 2000, when the club finished 16-16 and reached the playoffs. Players such as Nykesha Sales, Taj McWilliams-Franklin and Shannon Johnson became important parts of the franchise’s early identity. After the 2002 season, the franchise was moved to Connecticut. The Move to Connecticut In 2003, the Mohegan Tribe purchased the franchise and moved it from Orlando to Uncasville, Connecticut, renaming it the Connecticut Sun. The move was historic because the Mohegan Tribe became the first Native American tribe to own a professional sports franchise. The Sun immediately became a unique WNBA franchise. Rather than sharing a market with an NBA team, the club was built around the Mohegan Sun complex and developed a strong identity of its own. The team quickly became competitive. Under head coach Mike Thibault, Connecticut reached the WNBA Finals in both 2004 and 2005. The Sun also established itself as one of the league’s most consistent playoff franchises. Connecticut Sun Ownership History Connecticut Sun owners 1. Rich DeVos / RDV Sports — Orlando Miracle Era 1999-2002 The franchise began as the Orlando Miracle under the ownership structure of RDV Sports, associated with Orlando Magic owner Rich DeVos. 2. Mohegan Tribe — Connecticut Sun Era 2003-2026 The Mohegan Tribe purchased the franchise in 2003 and relocated it to Connecticut. The Mohegan ownership period lasted more than two decades and became the defining era of the franchise. The Sun reached the WNBA Finals four times during this period: 2004, 2005, 2019 and 2022. 3. Tilman J. Fertitta — Houston Era Beginning in 2027 In May 2026, the WNBA and NBA approved the sale of the Connecticut Sun to Tilman J. Fertitta. The franchise will relocate to Houston following the 2026 season. Thus, the ownership history is: Rich DeVos / RDV Sports — 1999-2002 Mohegan Tribe — 2003-2026 Tilman J. Fertitta — 2027 forward Every Arena the Franchise Has Called Home TD Waterhouse Centre — Orlando The Orlando Miracle played its home games at the TD Waterhouse Centre in Orlando from 1999 through 2002. The arena later became known as the Amway Arena before being demolished in 2012. Mohegan Sun Arena — Uncasville, Connecticut When the franchise moved to Connecticut in 2003, it established Mohegan Sun Arena as its permanent home. The 10,000-seat arena became one of the most recognizable venues in the WNBA and was the center of Connecticut Sun basketball for 24 seasons. Additional 2026 Home Dates The Sun’s final Connecticut season included special home games outside Mohegan Sun Arena. In 2026, Connecticut also hosted regular-season games at: Peoples Bank Arena — Hartford, Connecticut TD Garden — Boston, Massachusetts These were special 2026 home dates rather than permanent replacements for Mohegan Sun Arena. WNBA Hall of Fame and Basketball Hall of Fame Connections The Sun have had several players and coaches who are members of major basketball halls of fame. However, there is an important distinction: being a Hall of Famer who played for Connecticut is not necessarily the same thing as being inducted because of accomplishments achieved as a Sun. Following that distinction, the most important names are: Taj McWilliams-Franklin Taj McWilliams-Franklin was one of the foundational stars of the Connecticut Sun. She helped lead Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2004 and 2005 and was a six-time WNBA All-Star. She was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024. Her Hall of Fame résumé covers her entire career, however, rather than being exclusively a, Connecticut Sun achievement. Lindsay Whalen Lindsay Whalen played for Connecticut from 2004 through 2009 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022. Her Hall of Fame career, however, is most closely associated with her tremendous accomplishments with the Minnesota Lynx, including four WNBA championships. Therefore, under the specific criterion of not counting players or coaches whose Hall of Fame credentials were primarily earned with another team, Whalen should not be listed as a Sun Hall of Famer. Rebecca Lobo Rebecca Lobo finished her WNBA career with Connecticut and is a Naismith Hall of Famer. Her greatest professional accomplishments came before joining the Sun, particularly during her early WNBA career with the New York Liberty, so she also does not qualify under a strict “earned the Hall of Fame as a Sun” standard. Under the strict standard requested here—Hall of Fame recognition earned as a Connecticut Sun player or coach rather than primarily through accomplishments with another organization—the Sun do not currently have a Naismith Hall of Fame player whose induction was based specifically on a Connecticut Sun career. That distinction is important because the Sun have nevertheless employed several Hall of Fame-caliber players and coaches. WNBA Rookie of the Year as a Sun Player The Connecticut Sun have had one player win the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award while playing for the franchise: Tina Charles — 2010 The Sun selected Tina Charles No. 1 overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft. Charles immediately became one of the league’s dominant interior players and won the 2010 WNBA Rookie of the… Continue reading Connecticut Sun: The Complete History
Tag: Mike Thibault
Washington Mystics: Complete WNBA History
The Washington Mystics are one of the WNBA’s original franchises, beginning play in 1998 as part of the league’s second season. Based in Washington, D.C., the Mystics have experienced nearly every stage of a professional sports franchise’s development—from difficult expansion years and coaching turnover to superstar players, multiple WNBA Finals appearances and, ultimately, a championship. The franchise has been home to players such as Chamique Holdsclaw, Alana Beard, Crystal Langhorne, Elena Delle Donne, Emma Meesseman, Natasha Cloud and Ariel Atkins. Its greatest achievement came in 2019, when Washington defeated the Connecticut Sun in five games to win its first WNBA championship. As of the 2026 season, the Mystics remain one of the WNBA’s established franchises and are entering another period of rebuilding and development under head coach Sydney Johnson and general manager Jamila Wideman. The Birth of the Washington Mystics The Mystics were awarded to Washington before the 1998 season. The franchise was connected from the beginning with Washington’s NBA team, then the Washington Wizards, and the ownership of Abe Pollin. Washington’s first game was played during the inaugural season of the Mystics in 1998. Their first home games were played in the arena that opened as The franchise name “Mystics” was announced in December 1997. It fit with Washington’s existing “Wizards” identity and its magical theme. The early years were difficult. The Mystics went through several coaches and struggled to establish themselves as a winning team. One of the earliest major developments came when Washington obtained Nikki McCray, who had been an MVP in the rival American Basketball League. McCray became one of the early faces of the franchise. Washington Mystics Owners The Mystics have had two primary ownership eras 1. Abe Pollin and Washington Sports & Entertainment — 1998–2005 Abe Pollin, the longtime owner of Washington’s NBA franchise, was the original owner of the Mystics. Pollin and his wife, Irene, were major figures in Washington professional sports. Their organization brought the WNBA to Washington and operated the Mystics during the franchise’s first seven seasons. During this period, Washington played its home games at MCI Center, later renamed Verizon Center and eventually Capital One Arena. 2. Ted Leonsis and Monumental Sports & Entertainment — 2005–present In May 2005, Ted Leonsis and his Lincoln Holdings ownership group purchased the Mystics from Pollin’s Washington Sports & Entertainment organization. Sheila C. Johnson became an important part of the new ownership group and was named president, managing partner and governor of the Mystics. Contemporary reports described Johnson as the first Black woman to become an owner-partner of three professional sports franchises. Leonsis subsequently became the controlling owner of the broader Monumental Sports & Entertainment organization. Today, the Mystics are part of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, with Ted Leonsis continuing as controlling owner. Every Arena the Mystics Have Called Home The Mystics have had an interesting arena history because Washington has used both its large downtown arena and its smaller Southeast Washington facility. MCI Center — 1998–2006 The Mystics began playing at MCI Center in downtown Washington. The building opened in December 1997, just before the Mystics began their inaugural season. Washington’s first WNBA home games were played there. The Mystics also established an early attendance record at MCI Center when 20,674 fans watched Washington defeat the Utah Starzz in 1998. Verizon Center — 2006–2017 MCI Center was renamed Verizon Center in 2006. The Mystics continued to play there as their primary home. Capital One Arena — 2017–2018 and selected later games The building became Capital One Arena in 2017. The Mystics continued playing there before moving their primary home to Southeast Washington. The building has remained part of the franchise’s history, however, with selected Mystics games returning there in later seasons. EagleBank Arena — Fairfax, Virginia EagleBank Arena at George Mason University became an important secondary venue for the Mystics. Washington played there during the 2018 WNBA Finals because renovations prevented the team from using its normal downtown arena. The Mystics hosted the Finals at EagleBank Arena before the series concluded with Seattle winning the championship. The Mystics returned to EagleBank Arena for two regular-season games in 2025. Entertainment and Sports Arena — 2019–2025 The Mystics moved to the new Entertainment and Sports Arena in Southeast Washington in 2019. The 4,200-seat building became the franchise’s permanent home and provided the Mystics with a smaller basketball-specific environment. It immediately became part of Mystics history. , In October 2019, Washington defeated Connecticut in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals in front of its home fans to win the championship. CareFirst Arena — 2025–present The Entertainment and Sports Arena received a new naming-rights agreement in 2025 and became CareFirst Arena. The Mystics continue to use the building as their primary home. For the 2026 season, nearly all Washington home games are scheduled for CareFirst Arena, with the September 24 game against Chicago scheduled for Capital One Arena. CFG Bank Arena — Baltimore The Mystics expanded their regional schedule in 2025, playing two regular-season home games at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore. The move was part of an effort to bring Mystics games to fans throughout the Washington-Baltimore region IMG Academy — Bradenton, Florida The COVID-19 pandemic produced one of the strangest seasons in WNBA history. The entire 2020 season was played at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, without fans. Consequently, the Mystics did not play conventional home games in Washington that season. Every Mystics Head Coach The Mystics have had a remarkable number of head coaches over their history. Jim Lewis — 1998 Lewis was the franchise’s first head coach. He coached the first 18 games of the Mystics’ inaugural season .Cathy Parson — 1998 Parson took over during the 1998 season and finished Washington’s inaugural campaign. Nancy Darsch… Continue reading Washington Mystics: Complete WNBA History
