UNCASVILLE — Legacy. That’s the word that comes to mind when you think of Tina Charles. With an effortless style and mid-range fadeaway jump shot that seemed guaranteed to go in every time, Charles solidified herself as one of the greatest scorers of all time over her 15 years in the WNBA.
Today, her name remains in the record books as second all-time in points scored (8396) behind Diana Taurasi, and on Tuesday evening, her No. 31 jersey was raised in the rafters at Mohegan Sun Arena, where she was celebrated as a Connecticut Sun legend and one of the cornerstones of the franchise.
When asked what kind of legacy she hopes to have left behind, Charles shared her own take on what the word means to her. As easy as it can be to focus on the numbers, stats, accolades and accomplishments – and for Charles, there are many – to her, it was all about the impact she’s had not just on the court, but on others.
“My thing about legacy, success is what you accomplish, and significance is just what you leave behind. For me, I’m just trying to make sure that I’m going from success to significance; that’s more important,” she told the media before the ceremony. “There’s going to be other women that [are] going to retire, and what does that look like for them? What are the emotions and all those things?
I just hope I’m leaving just a great example, just to be open, to be adventurous, to be creative, to walk through the doors that the good Lord is going to open up for you, which I am now.”
When she first found out she was going to be honored, Charles said she felt “thankful” and a calm sense of emotions.
“When I found out was also around the time when I announced my retirement, so there was a lot of emotions going [on],” she said. “I’m just thankful that my legacy did start here. I’m thankful that everything was in Connecticut as a total – from school, UConn – it’s nine years that I was here. It’s the most that I’ve spent in any city, so Connecticut is a lot of who I am and who I became, and it’s very full circle where I got my first shot professionally here, and UConn is just where the standard was set. So, just thankful.”
Before the game, the Sun held a ceremony in her honor while a montage video of her highlights played on the jumbotron. Then the ever-stylish Charles took center court for the first time since announcing her retirement in May. Standing alongside Sun President Jennifer Rizzotti, she smiled and waved at the crowd amidst a roar of applause and cheers from the home crowd as they gave her a standing ovation.
Microphone in hand, Charles then spoke to the crowd as one would to a close friend or relative. “Hey, y’all. How y’all doing?” she said in the opening remarks of her speech. “They said I got 30 seconds, but I think I’ve got a little bit more.”
Charles credited her faith and thanked the Sun organization, her teammates, friends and her family, especially her mother, for their support throughout her career. Then, she addressed the crowd yet again.
“And last but not least, to the Connecticut Sun, the fans – you guys have done it all,” she said. “The WNBA would not be where it is today without you guys. I know the sun is setting on this chapter, but the memories that was built here will always continue to shine on. Love you guys, thank you so, so much.”
It was here, in Unacaville, that Charles was drafted by the Sun in 2010 as the No. 1 pick. The Queens native took the league by storm from the moment she arrived, averaging a double-double of 15.5 points and 11.7 rebounds per game as a rookie. She was named Rookie of the Year and was mentioned in the MVP conversation, too. Charles was also in the running for Defensive Player of the Year. By 2012, she had emerged as the best player in the W and was named MVP.
And yet, her impact extended far beyond the basketball court. She donated her entire WNBA salary to her Hopey’s Heart Foundation in 2013 in honor of her late aunt, Maureen “Hopey” Vaz, who passed away due to multiple organ failure that year.
Last season, Charles was also awarded the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award in recognition of her service, commitment and dedication to social and racial justice, as well as education. She even personally funded the construction of a school in Mali and, in New York City, Charles launched Hopey’s Week – a series of sports safety clinics that focused on concussion prevention and injury awareness.
In this next chapter of her life, Charles is embarking on new opportunities, including in broadcasting. “I’m going into broadcasting, which I never thought that I would be doing, so I’m just thankful for just all [the] opportunities that are just coming my way,” she revealed to the media.
Charles is also a business owner and recently launched her craft beer company, 78 Brewing Company, with the release of their 78-0 Hazy IPA that pays homage to the Huskies’ 78-0 winning streak. Their newest beer, “Sunset Hazy IPA”, is dedicated to the Sun’s last season and the community.
For her, it’s the time she spent with her Sun teammates that led to some of her favorite memories. “Every team that I’ve been on, it was just a camaraderie,” she told reporters. “With Connecticut, a lot of players say like, ‘Oh, there’s nothing to do here,’ but there’s so much to do together if you’re able to have that type of continuity. So it was just a lot of fun.”
During her final season in Connecticut, Charles not only embraced her role as one of the veteran leaders of the team, but made an impact on everyone around her. On the Sun, Charles brought positivity and a fun-loving spirit to the team, even amidst a tough losing season. When celebrating big plays, Sun players had started hitting what they referred to as the ‘Tina Shimmy’ – a dance move in honor of the 6’4 center.
“We can say a lot about her contribution on the floor, but [off] the floor, she did, I think, more things just to bring some calm in our locker room,” Sun head coach Rachid Meziane told the media. “It wasn’t like an easy season last year for all of us, but she [brought] some serenity in our locker room, and she was the one who showed us how to be resilient. She was a big piece last year.”
After then-rookie Saniya Rivers tragically lost her mother and was away from the team for two weeks last year, it was Charles who would check in on her daily to see how she was doing. “The fact that she just stepped up and was playing like a big sister role, it just really motivated me,” Rivers had told The IX Sports.
It’s these moments that have made Charles a great teammate, mentor and all-around great person to be around that have continued to inspire those around her. After the Sun defeated the Chicago Sky on Tuesday night, 87-81, forward Diamond Miller, who finished with 21 points, mentioned that the win was also for Charles.
“The support here is deep, and we’re gonna miss Connecticut,” Miller said postgame. “It’s been a pleasure to be here this season, and it was great for Tina to have all these beautiful fans here come and support, and we got the win for her and the fans.
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When asked about what advice she herself would give to the next generation, Charles dropped gems that anyone – whether they’re an athlete or not – can appreciate and take note of.
After all, it was her work ethic and consistency that made her an all-time great.
“My foundation was always my work, always the effort. Coming in and putting in the work just so I could see the results,” Charles told the media. “I would say just be consistent and have perseverance. Always have focus on what you’re trying to do, what you’re trying to accomplish, and just be accountable to your teammates and to your coaches.”
