Tina Charles is making her return to Connecticut, having signed a one-year contract with the Sun on Sunday.
“Today marks an incredible moment in our team’s history as we welcome back one of the greatest players to ever grace the WNBA,” stated Sun general manager Morgan Tuck.
“Tina not only contributed to the success of this franchise in her early career but also set a standard for excellence, both on and off the court.”

Drafted first overall by the Sun in 2010, Charles was traded to New York in 2014.
Her impressive career saw her being named the league’s MVP in 2012 and receiving the Rookie of the Year title.
At 36 years old, Charles played for the Atlanta Dream last season, where she averaged 14.9 points and 9.6 rebounds.
Notably, she holds the record for the most rebounds in WNBA history and ranks second in all-time scoring.

In her return, Charles will be joining teammates Marina Mabrey and Natasha Cloud as central figures on the team.
The Sun faced significant changes as they lost all five of their starters from the previous season through a combination of free agency and trades.
Brionna Jones and DeWanna Bonner moved to Atlanta and Indiana, respectively, in free agency, while DiJonai Carrington and Ty Harris were traded to Dallas, and Alyssa Thomas was traded to Phoenix.

An accomplished player, Charles has also earned three Olympic gold medals with the United States and was instrumental in helping the University of Connecticut clinch two national championships.
Beyond her basketball career, she founded the Hopey’s Heart Foundation ten years ago to address the problem of sudden cardiac arrest in the U.S.
This charity, named in honor of her aunt, provides funding to schools and community centers to acquire Automated External Defibrillator (AED) equipment and trains individuals on how to use it.