The Connecticut Sun are looking at all options for the franchise's future, including a potential sale, team president Jen Rizzotti said Tuesday.
The team is owned by the Mohegan Tribe, which runs the casino where the team has played since 2003. The Tribe bought the franchise for $10 million and relocated it from Orlando that year. The Connecticut franchise was the first in the league to be run by a non-NBA owner and also became the first to turn a profit.
Rizzotti, who took over in her current role four years ago, said that Mohegan's decision was the move of “responsible business owners” and that “it’s more about being consistent about how they’re evaluating all of their businesses, the Connecticut Sun being one of them.”
The news was first reported Monday by Sportico, which said the team had hired investment bank Allen & Co to conduct the probe.
Rizzotti said that no decision has been made and that no timeline has been set. The team could be sold to an outside group or the franchise could bring on a minority owner.
“They want to make sure they're doing what's best for the organization as well as the WNBA,” she said.
Rizzotti went on to say that the ownership group has done a great job over the years.
“They do everything first class. They pride themselves on guest experience and attention to detail and true investment in the right ways. If the tribe decides they want to own this team, they’re as competitive, I think, as any ownership group in the league.”
The WNBA has experienced rapid growth the last few seasons and ownerships groups have been investing more into their teams, including player experiences. That has come in the way of practice facilities. The Sun are one of the few teams in the league that haven't announced any plans for a new training facility.
Connecticut practices either at the arena in the casino or a local community center.
Despite the lack of facilities, the Sun have been one of the most successful teams in the league, making the postseason in 16 seasons, including a run of six straight semifinal appearances. But the team was hit hard this offseason with the entire starting five from last season leaving either via free agency or trade.
“We’re going to pour into this franchise as long as it’s here,” Rizzotti said. “And if it ends up not being the case, then we’ll worry about that when the time comes.”
Rizzotti met with the players and coaches Tuesday morning and asked them to stay focused on this season, which begins Sunday against Washington.
“They have their job, and our job is to put the best product on the floor,” said Tina Charles, who returned to the franchise this offseason after leaving in 2014. “We trust that they’re gonna do their jobs and make the right decision that will benefit the organization and the players and the coaches and the staff moving forward.”
The WNBA added a 13th franchise this year with the Golden State Valkyries beginning play. Toronto and Portland will enter the league next season as expansion teams. A 16th team will also be awarded to a city at some point soon.
The league hasn’t had a team relocate since 2017, when the San Antonio franchise moved to Las Vegas and became the Aces. The Sun played a regular-season game last year in Boston and will again play one there in July against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
A group that includes former NBA player Michael Carter Williams expressed interest in February about bringing a franchise to Boston.
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
FILE - University of Hartford head coach Jen Rizzotti gestures to her players during the second half of play against Boston University in the America East final basketball game at the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Conn., Sunday, March 12, 2006. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill,File)
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo couldn’t remember hearing boos from his home crowd during his brilliant 13-year career in Milwaukee.
It happened Tuesday midway through the Bucks’ 139-106 loss to a Minnesota Timberwolves team that was playing without Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert.
“I’ve never been a part of something like that before,” Antetokounmpo said after the game. “Something new for me.”
The two-time MVP responded the same way he has whenever he’s been booed on the road. After making a driving layup and drawing a foul in the opening minute of the third quarter, Antetokounmpo offered a thumbs-down gesture and booed back.
“When I get booed, I boo back,” Antetokounmpo said. “I’ve been doing it all season.”
Those boos poured down after Milwaukee trailed 76-45 at the break. Never before in franchise history had the Timberwolves built such a big halftime lead in a road game.
Antetokounmpo acknowledged the Bucks’ effort was low Tuesday. He also expanded on why the boos bothered him.
“I don’t think it’s fair,” Antetokounmpo said. “But everybody has their opinion to do what they want to do. I’m not going to tell them what to do and how they should act when we don’t play hard or win, or we lose games or we’re not where we’re supposed to be. And I don’t think anybody has the right to tell me how I should act on the basketball court after I’ve been here 13 years and I’m basically the all-time leader in everything.”
The Bucks’ latest loss came as they approach the midway point of a season that hasn’t met their expectations.
Milwaukee (17-23) is 11th in the Eastern Conference standings, meaning the Bucks would have to rally in the second half just to reach the play-in round of the postseason. That’s a precipitous fall for a team that has made nine straight playoff appearances and won the NBA title in 2021.
The Bucks’ precarious position means they can’t afford to have performances like the one they delivered against a short-handed Minnesota team Tuesday. Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers blamed it on “dead legs” after the game, noting the Bucks had just returned from a four-game trip and are about to go back on the road for their next two contests.
“Dead legs cannot be an excuse,” Antetokounmpo said. “We have to be better.”
Antetokounmpo noted that the improvement must start with him, though he delivered 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists on Tuesday. He was asked how the Bucks could step up in the second half to put themselves back in playoff position.
“Playing hard,” Antetokounmpo said. “Playing the right way. Playing selfless basketball, which we don’t. I don’t know. I really don’t know. Those three things are important. I know that they’re important for you to win. Right now there’s so many things that we can do better. Let’s just start by, ’Can we just play harder? Can we just play the right way? Can we create advantages for the next player? Can we just play for our teammate, play for the team, play for ourselves?' Let’s start with that, and I think everything will follow.”
Antetokounmpo has offered similar messages after other losses this season, but the Bucks still haven’t put it all together. They haven’t won more than two straight games at any point this season.
“Maybe we are not connected as much as we should,” Antetokounmpo said. “Maybe my voice is just a broken record and guys are just tired and guys might tend to do what they want to do. I don’t know. But as a leader, it doesn’t matter. Being a leader is the same thing as being a dad. You have to keep on being available, being consistent with your words and your actions over and over and over again. One day you hope the message is going to go through.”
In the meantime, Antetokounmpo says he will keep responding to boos the same way, no matter who’s doing the jeering.
“I thrive through adversity,” Antetokounmpo said. “I thrive when people don’t believe in me. Doesn’t matter if I’m on the road, if I’m at home, if I’m at my family dinner, if I’m at a practice facility against my teammate.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo shoots between Minnesota Timberwolves' Julius Randle and Naz Reid during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts aftetr being fouled during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
