Tina Charles will see her No. 31 jersey raised to the Mohegan Sun Arena rafters on Tuesday night. The Connecticut Sun is inducting the former MVP into their Sun Legends program, just months after she retired from professional basketball.
The celebration will trace all the way back to Charles's UConn women's basketball days.
A Record-Breaking Start at UConn Women's Basketball
The WNBA legend anchored back-to-back national championships in Storrs and left as the program's all-time leader in scoring and rebounding. The Sun then took her No. 1 overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft.
She earned Rookie of the Year that season and claimed league MVP two years later. From there, she collected eight All-Star nods across her career.
Even so, her most memorable contributions took place in Connecticut. Charles still holds the Sun records in career points and rebounds per game. She also logged 80 double-doubles in a Sun uniform.
Tina Charles's "Full-Circle Moment" with Connecticut Sun
"To be named a Connecticut Sun Legend is something I honestly never imagined," Charles said.
"I'm just incredibly grateful. Connecticut became home, and it helped shape not only the player I became, but the woman I am today. To be remembered this way means more than I can put into words, and I'll always be thankful for everything Connecticut has given me."
She joins Jonquel Jones, Alyssa Thomas, Jasmine Thomas, and Curt Miller in the Class of 2026. Meanwhile, the franchise is set to relocate to Houston ahead of next season. That makes Tuesday's ceremony one of its final home celebrations in the state.
