GROTON — The strength of the Connecticut Sun’ s footprint in the state was unmistakable at Washington Park on Friday afternoon, where the team hosted a free youth clinic on basketball courts that it renovated in partnership with multiple sponsors and the City of Groton. More than 80 children from the local community, ranging from age 7 to 14, came to play at the unveiling event, and though each of them received a t-shirt and ball to take home, many arrived with families already decked out in orange and navy gear. Over 23 years since the franchise moved to Uncasville, Sun fandom is beginning to span generations in Connecticut: A teenage boy played pickup on the new courts in a No. 42 Nykesha Sales jersey, though likely wasn’t old enough to remember most of Sales’ WNBA career from 1999-2007. A woman approached Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti to ask for an autograph while her children participated in the clinic, commenting that she remembered watching Rizzotti play at UConn from 1992-96. “We see repeating families (at clinics), especially when we stay local. We see kids that have autographed shirts with lots of players from the past, so we know they’ve been to games,” Rizzotti said. “I think we bring people a lot of joy with basketball and the game we play, so this is the opportunity to give back to the communities that we live and work in … We don’t ever have this vision that we’re developing the next WNBA player, but if we can give kids a positive, healthy lifestyle, confidence, some mental, physical and emotional strength, we feel like we’re doing our part for the next generation.” The Sun entered the 2025 WNBA season with uncertainty swirling around its future in Connecticut after its Mohegan Tribe ownership retained an investment bank to explore strategic financial options including selling the franchise. Rizzotti has been fielding questions about a potential relocation from concerned fans since the Sun sold out a game at Boston’s TD Garden last year, but she said the team is committed to keep showing up for the community that has long supported it, regardless of what happens above her head. “No one’s asked me today yet, but I think it’s on people’s minds, and I answer the best way that I can, which is that I don’t know,” Rizzotti said. “But I think for however long the team is here, whether it’s forever or not, we’re going to make as much of an impact as we can. It’s a team that’s been around for over 20 years, so the impact that we make now will never go away.” The Sun’s fanbase hasn’t stopped showing up despite losing nearly the entirety of last season’s roster during free agency, even after an underwhelming start on the court in 2025. Entering Sunday’s matchup against the Chicago Sky, the team has its lowest point differential ever through the first nine games at -157, and its 2-7 record is its worst in nearly a decade. Connecticut women’s basketball fans aren’t accustomed to losing between UConn’s 12 NCAA titles and the Sun’s league-leading streak of seven straight WNBA Playoff appearances, but Rizzotti sees them embracing the optimism of the team’s young core. Rookie guard Saniya Rivers is averaging 7.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals through her first eight professional appearances, and forward Aneesah Morrow is hitting her stride after a lingering injury from the college season sidelined her for training came and the first two games. Los Angeles native Rayah Marshall , a rookie center out of USC, was in attendance for the Washington Park unveiling on Friday and said she’s felt the overwhelming support almost everywhere she goes in Connecticut. “Our fanbase is just like, wow. It’s really hard to put into words, but they’re just so loyal,” Marshall said. “They’re consistent. They show up … When I’m out places, the fans will speak to me and they’re really kind, so that’s something I’m enjoying a ton. I was just out at Stop and Shop yesterday and one of the clerks recognized me — she’s actually here at the park now — and spoke to me, so the love is definitely genuine.” The Sun got a full week of practice and recovery in between a 104-67 blowout loss to the Washington Mystics last Sunday and their next game against Chicago, and the 2-7 Sky provide a good opportunity for Connecticut to prove whether those extra days paid off. Chicago, like the Sun, has an overwhelmingly inexperienced roster led by a first-time head coach, and it is on a three-game losing streak since a pair of back-to-back wins over the Dallas Wings at the end of May. The Sun’s last home game before the defeat in D.C. was a statement 84-76 victory over the Atlanta Dream, and star guard Marina Mabrey said the biggest thing the team needs now is consistency. They’ve proven at their ceiling that they can be competitive with even the top teams in the league, but it has yet to put the pieces together in back-to-back performances. “I think it’s been really good that we were able to have that mental break, because it’s hard when you’re losing,” Mabrey said. “In my opinion, we gave up at the end of the (Mystics) game, so we just needed to refresh and get back and know what we can do. We’ve shown that we can play with the best of the best, but we just have to stick with it. Something better is coming for us as long as we stick with it and keep our energy up.”
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