Connecticut Sun Star Dubs Practice Situation Before Fever Series 'Ultimate Disrespect'
There's no question that the Connecticut Sun are among the WNBA's most elite teams.
However, they certainly don't have an elite practice facility.
One day before the first game of Connecticut's WNBA playoffs series against the Indiana Fever, an X post from Hartford Courant's Emily Adams showed that the Sun were sharing their practice space with what was deemed a "community center event".
Just WNBA things! 24 hours before their first playoff game, the Connecticut Sun are finishing practice on a half court to share space with a community center event. pic.twitter.com/0hwKib1RLz
— Emily Adams (@eaadams6) September 21, 2024
This prompted outrage on social media among fans, who thought it was ridiculous that a WNBA team would need to practice under these circumstances.
And it wasn't just fans who were upset. Sun star forward Alyssa Thomas sent a stern message about the bizarre practice situation in a September 23 article from Gabby Alfveby of The Next Hoops.
“It’s normal at this point. I mean, Mohegan has to do better,” Thomas told The Next before Sunday’s game. “We’re [a] professional team. We’re competing for playoffs. And yeah, to have to share your court with a two-year-old[‘s] birthday party, [it’s the] ultimate disrespect.
"We need more, we need better to compete at the highest level,” Thomas added.
Alyssa Thomas told @TheNextHoops that Mohegan has to do better in providing facilities for the Sun, who had to share a practice court the day before their first playoff game.
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) September 23, 2024
“To have to share your court with a two-year-olds birthday party, [it’s the] ultimate disrespect.” pic.twitter.com/FSIRAm1ooS
Thomas, who has been with the Sun throughout her entire 11-year WNBA career, absolutely has a right to be upset about this circumstance.
It's worth noting that Adams later noted in an X post that a personal practice facility for the Sun is, “100% in the near future," according to Sun president Jen Rizzotti. Yet, there is still no specification or update on when that facility will start getting built.
Despite what surely must have been a strange practice on Saturday, it didn't stop the Sun from blowing out the Fever during their first playoff series game on Sunday.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.