Alyssa Thomas and the Connecticut Sun were forced to share their practice court with a surprising guest just a day ahead of their opening 2024 WNBA Playoff game

A day before their 93-69 playoff victory over the Indiana Fever, the Connecticut Sun were forced to share their practice court with a two-year-old’s birthday party.

The Sun has seen other WNBA franchises like the Chicago Sky, Seattle Storm, and Phoenix Mercury build new private practice facilities in recent years, much to the chagrin of star guard Alyssa Thomas. “It’s normal at this point. I mean, Mohegan has to do better,” Thomas said of the Mohegan Sun Arena before the 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.”

The lack of access to a full practice court didn’t impact the Sun on the court Sunday from crushing Caitlin Clark and the Fever. Thomas led the way with a triple-double, scoring 12 points along with 13 assists and 10 rebounds.

Marine Mabrey led the team in scoring off the bench with 27 points on 6/12 shooting while the 37-year-old DeWonna Bonner added another 22 points. Thomas has raised questions of the Sun’s resources all season. Connecticut is one of the few franchises without a twin NBA franchise in their region, stunting some of their commercial opportunity.

“I think one thing with playing on Team USA and being around other players that are in [WNBA] markets that are the staple of what you want your organization to be in, [it shows that] honestly Connecticut is super behind when it comes to that,” Thomas said earlier this season.

Alyssa Thomas was frustrated by the Sun having to share their practice court ahead of their opening playoff game
Alyssa Thomas was frustrated by the Sun having to share their practice court ahead of their opening playoff game

Thomas and the Sun played at the TD Garden, home of the Boston Celtics, earlier this season and easily sold out the 19,165-seat arena. The Garden is nearly twice the size of Connecticut’s home, the Mohegan Sun Arena, seating 10,000. The Sun has called Mohegan Sun home since the organization relocated from Orlando in 2003.

“I’ve been here 11 years and yes, we’ve made changes, but a lot of things still have so much room for improvement,” she continued. “And women’s basketball is hot right now and so many people want to support what we’re doing, and I think going to Boston is a huge step to a market that is bigger.”

The Sun have won two conference titles – in 2004 and 2005 – and have reached the playoffs in each of the last eight years. The Sun will host the Fever at the Mohegan Sun Arena again on Wednesday. A win will give them the victory in the best-of-three series.