UNCASVILLE — The toughness, competitiveness, and grit Alyssa Thomas brought to Phoenix were forged over 11 years with the Connecticut Sun, and on Friday, she was honored for the legacy she left.
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Oct 6, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas (25) reacts after her basket against the Minnesota Lynx in the second half during game four of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Ahead of the Mercury’s and Sun’s game, the franchise honored one of the most accomplished players in its history, lifting her No. 25 into the rafters. The honor reflects not just a long-tenured player, but the impact she made from her very first day in the league.
Thomas joined the Sun on draft night in 2014 after Connecticut acquired her from the New York Liberty, starting a tenure that would establish her as one of the most important players in franchise history. The accolades help tell her story and show what made her a household name in Connecticut.
Thomas helped lead the Sun to eight consecutive playoff appearances from 2017 through 2024, including two trips to the WNBA Finals in 2019 and 2022.
You can’t tell the story of the Connecticut Sun without Alyssa Thomas.
Tonight, the Sun honored AT and the legacy she built over 11 seasons. Her impact goes beyond the stat sheet, shaping the franchise into what it is today 🧡 pic.twitter.com/2dAULTy8Tz
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) August 8, 2026
The former Sun was second in the WNBA in assists and set a Connecticut franchise record with 317 assists in 2024. She also recorded three triple-doubles, moving her regular-season total to 11 at the time. By the end of the season, she had become the Sun’s franchise leader in steals and field goals made.
In her final season with Connecticut, Thomas averaged 10.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 50.9% from the field. Those numbers reflected the all-around impact that had become synonymous with her game.
Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas (25) drives against Phoenix Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham (9) on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024 at Footprint Center in Phoenix.
The accolades reflected that impact, too. Thomas was selected to the 2024 All-Star team and earned All-WNBA First Team honors for the second consecutive season. She also was named to the All-Defensive Second Team.
But the identity Thomas built in Connecticut didn’t leave with her.
After leaving Connecticut following the 2024 season, Thomas joined the Mercury and immediately showed her value wasn’t just dependent on a system or uniform. That same toughness, vision and physicality followed her to Phoenix, where she has continued to operate as the engine, using her size to rebound, her vision to create scoring opportunities for teammates and her physicality to defend.
Aug 7, 2026; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers (22) moves the ball against Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) in the first half at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
But Friday was more about what she left behind in Connecticut, a legacy that will forever live in its franchise.
For more than a decade, Thomas was the Sun’s engine — the player who could change a game without dominating the scoring column. Her numbers tell only part of that story.
What will remain is her influence, one that provides memories and continues to live on, even away from her original team.
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Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde
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