Prior to the start of training camp, it was plausible to believe that the Connecticut Sun had had some potential and could be interesting.
But after five games, it seems that there’s not a lot of substance behind this roster and changes seem inevitable.
The numbers don’t lie
The Sun aren’t on the 2008 Atlanta Dream’s level of bad, but they lost their first five games by a total of 72 points, which amounts to 14.4 point differential per contest.
In two of those games, the Sun actually had a chance of coming out on top, especially against the Minnesota Lynx on May 23, when they entered the fourth quarter up 56-49. But Connecticut collapsed in the final 10 minutes and lost the game by six.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa active on the offensive glass gives the Connecticut Sun and extra possession, and Tina Charles gives them their largest lead of the game — 15. This would be sort of amazing for the Sun to pick up their first win over the 3-0 Lynx. pic.twitter.com/5tl8tTmNqS
— Danielle Hobeika (@DanielleHobeika) May 24, 2025
The story of that game is the nine fourth-quarter fouls by the Sun, which resulted in 12 points scored from the charity stripe by the Lynx, who effectively exploited the Sun’s physical play.
Head coach Rachid Meziane’s success in Europe came from the offensive freedom he gave to his players and the defensive tenacity of his teams. But things aren’t going well on either side of the ball for the Sun. The team is 13th in offensive rating, as well as dead last in points scored per game at 71.8. Their defensive rating is 12th, as they allow opponents to score 88.2 points per game, which ranks 11th.
So, maybe this roster doesn’t need that much freedom on offense and should dial back their tenacity on defense?
In terms of tenacity, Marina Mabrey is one of the fiercest competitors in the W, but sometimes emotions get the best of her. The same goes for freedom. Mabrey shouldn’t be allowed to fire at will. In the forth quarter of the game against the Lynx, she went 0-for-5 from 3. The issue, though, is that the Sun do not have another player capable of stepping up and taking responsibility.
A glimmer of positivity among uncertainty
The Sun knew that they were in for a tough season, but instead of going full developmental mode, they decided on a curious mixture of five players who are 30 or older and six players who are below 25 and a disgruntled Mabrey, who, at age 28, is wasting away her prime.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa is probably the sole bright stop on the roster. The 24-year-old center is finally getting significant minutes, averaging 10.6 points and 6.2 boards per game—by far the best stats of per pro career.
In early May, it was reported the Sun, in the words of team president Jennifer Rizzotti, are “exploring all options to strategically invest in the team,” which includes everything from from seeking new investment to considering a potential sale and relocation.
While Rizzotti emphasized that there is no timeline for decision about the team’s future, it’s current state—a struggling, mismatched roster in the league’s smallest market—suggests some changes will come.
