Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun are a team of North American women's professional basketball league the WNBA. The team play their home games at the Mohegan Sun Arena in the same casino in the Mohegan reservation in Montville, Connecticut. The Sun was the first WNBA team that is not owned by an NBA team.
- 2.1 attendances
- 3.1 logos
- 4.1 Sporting achievements
- 4.2 Individual Awards
- 4.3 WNBA All-Star Game nominations
- 4.4 season statistics
- 6.1 squads of the 2012 season
- 6.2 first-round choice in the WNBA Draft Rights
History
Four seasons in Orlando (1999 to 2002)
The Orlando Miracle of the WNBA occurred in 1999, two years after this League held its first pennant official season. Their home games wearing the Miracle at the TD Waterhouse Centre. In the short time in the Orlando Miracle played four seasons abele respectful, being in the 2000 season for the first time reached the playoffs, where they almost failed in the first round to the Cleveland Rockers with 1:2 in games. In the season of 2002, the Miracles were like 2000 win 16 of 32 games in the regular season, but it was enough at the end to qualify for the playoffs.
Relocation from Orlando to Connecticut ( 2002)
The league and its teams were owned by the NBA, which in 2002 chose to sell all WNBA teams based in the same city NBA teams or to third parties. This sale resulted in the two teams were resettled: Utah Starzz became the San Antonio Silver Stars and the Orlando Miracle of the Connecticut Sun.
Initial successes and WNBA Finals (2003 to 2006)
On the jobs created in Orlando base the new owners in Connecticut worked steadily. First, they committed all-star Rebecca Lobo. With Lobos support the Sun won in the 2003 season, 18 of 34 games. With this result, the Sun is equal qualified for the playoffs, where they clearly won in the Conference Semifinals 2-0 against the Charlotte Sting. Thus, the franchise won their first playoff series in their history. However, the Sun failed in the Eastern Conference Finals clear to the Detroit Shock.
During the 2004 season the Sun were reinforced by Lindsay Whalen, who had selected him WNBA Draft in 2004, but the Sun had this season Lobo forgo the announced end her career. The Sun won as in the previous season 18 of 34 games. Since the Eastern Conference was very balanced this season, these 18 wins ranged even finish to the season as the best team in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, they first beat the Washington Mystics and then the New York Liberty and thus stood for the first time in its history in the WNBA Finals, where the Seattle Storm Sun just had to admit defeat to the.
After this surprisingly good season, the Sun for the 2005 season with Margo Dydek reinforced. The Sun dominated this season's Eastern Conference and have won 26 of 34 games in the regular season. In the playoffs, they defeated the Detroit Shock Indiana Fever and clear 2-0 and thus stood for the second time in a row in the WNBA Finals, where they met with the Sacramento Monarchs this time. The Sun had, in contrast to the previous season home advantage on their side. However, the Sun could win only one game and lost the series with 1:3.
In the 2006 season the Sun reiterated their strong performance in the regular season from the previous year and again won 26 of 34 games. In the playoffs, the Sun could indeed defeat the Washington Mystics in the Conference Semifinals 2-0, but they had to surprise in the Eastern Conference Finals later WNBA Champions, the Detroit Shock giving nearly beaten 1-2.
End of an Era (2007)
The 2007 season was not as successful as the previous one. The Sun started in the regular season with 10 defeats from the first 15 games. However, the Sun recovered from the shock and surprisingly won eleven of the next 13 games and thus qualified for the playoffs again. In the Conference Semifinals, the Sun met the Indiana Fever. In the regular season, the Sun could win all four meetings with the Fever for themselves. The first game of this series were the Sun, despite a 17 point lead in the third quarter, winning only in the third extension with 93-88. The Fever had in the next two games, home field advantage, they also took advantage of. The third game in this series could not win the Sun despite a leadership of 22 points. Thus, the Sun since the resettlement retired the first time out in the Conference Semifinals.
Restart ( since 2008)
In season break with some trades the Sun changed a big part of their team. First, Katie Douglas was transferred for Tamika Whitmore to the Indiana Fever. Then it was announced that the entire 2008 season Nykesha Sales will suspend because of an injury. Furthermore, also took Margo Dydek, because of her pregnancy, a time-out for a season. All three players were in the previous season regular in the starting lineup, thus the forecasts for the team were in contrast to the previous seasons from negative. The Sun chastised critics wrong when they won eight of the first nine games. However, the Sun could hold in the other games of this level is not entirely and went with a record of 16 wins from 26 matches in the Olympic break. The regular season ended the Sun with 21 wins from 34 games and qualified itself as the second - best team from the East for the playoffs. In the playoffs, they eliminated despite home advantage in the Conference Semifinals against the New York Liberty of.
Venues
In Orlando, the franchise wore out its home games at the TD Waterhouse Centre. After relocating to Connecticut, the club played at the Mohegan Sun Arena, which is part of the Mohegan Sun casino in Montville. The Arena is located in the middle of the shopping center from the Mohegan Sun Casino. Due to this favorable position, fans can take advantage of before or after a game, that a large number of restaurants and stores are just located right at the stadium. Therefore, it also happens sometimes that you encounter some players after a game at a restaurant.
Attendances
The Mohegan Sun Arena has a capacity of 9,518 seats.
Miscellaneous
Logos
The Orlando Miracle were launched in 1999, like most other WNBA teams also, with a logo that which the based in the same city NBA team looks very similar. After relocating to Connecticut, where there existed no professional sports team until that time, the team was given a completely new logo, which has no resemblance to a logo of another sports team. Furthermore, 2003 was also presented an alternative logo, this logo never got beyond a niche and so far found little attention.
Main Logo (since 2003)
Alternatively Logo (since 2003)
Achievements and honors
Sporting successes
The franchise was able to record his first real success after the relocation from Orlando to Connecticut. 2004 and 2005, the Sun managed the leap into the WNBA Finals, where they had to give the Seattle Storm defeated the Sacramento Monarchs in the following year initially.
Since the resettlement of the franchise could reach not only every time the playoffs but also three times ( 2004, 2005 and 2006) to finish the season as the best team in the entire Eastern Conference.
Individual Awards
Coach of the Year Award: 2006 Sun finished the regular season as the best team in the entire WNBA. Mike Thibault was elected for the first time in its history to the best coaches in the entire WNBA. In season break before the 2008 season, some key players left the Sun and took their time out. Nevertheless, Mike Thibault could cause the Sun to a second place in the Eastern Conference.
- 2006 - Mike Thibault
- 2008 - Mike Thibault
Most Improved Player Award: In the season of 2004 Wendy Palmer -Daniel was able to increase significantly compared to the previous season and received the Most Improved Player Award
- 2004 - Wendy Palmer -Daniel
Peak performers: Lindsay Whalen received in 2008 for Best Assist section of the entire league her first award in the WNBA.
- 2008 - Lindsay Whalen ( assists)
WNBA All-Star Game nominations
A total of seven players of the club have been selected by the fans due to their popularity in the All-Star Game or nominated by the coaches because of their achievements. Since the foundation of the franchise took at least two players participate in every All-Star Game.
Taj McWilliams - Franklin was nominated six times as often as any other player in the Sun / Miracle.
2006 were selected from the starting lineup of the Sun in the Eastern Conference All-Star team with Katie Douglas, Margo Dydek, Taj McWilliams - Franklin, Nykesha Sales and Lindsay Whalen all players. The Sun, making them the first and only team in the WNBA, which were represented with their entire starting lineup in an All- Star game.
Season statistics
Note: GP = Games, W = Wins, L = Losses
Coach
Carolyn Peck was the first coach in the history of the franchise. During her time in Orlando, they also took over the post of General Manger. In the three seasons she got famous players like Shannon Johnson, Taj McWilliams - Franklin and Nykesha Sales to Orlando. In the 2000 season, they reached the Miracle for the first time the playoffs, but where they failed in the first round to the Cleveland Rockers. After the 2001 season, the playoffs clear goal missed, she was released. Peck won the Miracle 44 of 96 games.
After the departure of Peck 2002 Dee Brown was named the new head coach. However, he was discharged from the sale of the franchise at the end of the season after just one year. Brown missed the Miracle just the playoffs. Indiana Fever have the same track record as Miracle at the end of the season. However, could win Indiana Fever two out of three direct encounters, therefore, the Fever were awarded the fourth and final playoff spot.
After moving to Connecticut Mike Thibault was named the new head coach. The Sun reached under the leadership of Thibault twice the WNBA Finals. However, the final score was never to win the championship. 2006 and 2008, Thibault was voted Coach of the Year.
Players
Squad of the Season 2012
As of July 13, 2012
First-round choice in the WNBA Draft Rights
Since its relocation in 2002, the club had eight draft rights in the first round of the WNBA draft. Only in the years 2006 and 2011, the Sun did not have a single draft pick in the first round.
With Tina Charles, the franchise has been able to select a player in the first position again. So far, all players who chose the Sun since 2003 in the first round came, yet in the same season in the jersey of the club to their first use in the WNBA. In addition, Tina Charles, Allison Hightower, Danielle McCray and Chay Shegog are still four players who were selected to 2012 by the Sun in a Draft, during the 2012 season in the squad of the franchise.
Charles is currently the only player of the Sun, who won the Rookie of the Year Award in its first season.