UNCASVILLE, Conn., — As a roar of “AT!” chants filled Mohegan Sun Arena, Alyssa Thomas stood at center court alongside Connecticut Sun President Jennifer Rizzotti and beamed with pride. For the 11-year vet of the franchise, it was here, on this very hardwood floor that Thomas was drafted in 2014 as the fourth pick by the New York Liberty before being traded to the Sun. It was here that she earned the nickname “The Engine” because of her talent, competitive fire, and tenacity as she steered the franchise towards greatness — and two Finals run in 2019 and 2022.
While the night ultimately ended in favor of the Sun, who defeated the Mercury, 75-72, in epic fashion thanks to a clutch block by Brittney Griner on a three-attempt by Kelsey Plum, which otherwise would have tied the game — the occasion was very much a celebration of Thomas, who was honored in a pregame ceremony as a Sun legend.
As one of the greatest players the franchise has ever seen, Thomas’ name is etched into the Sun’s record books as the all-time leader in games played (319), points (3,889), rebounds (2,396), assists (1,463), and steals (494). She also was a walking triple-double and remains the only player in franchise history to have amassed the feat. On Friday night, the team honored her in a pregame ceremony as a Sun legend by raising her No.25 jersey in the rafters.
It’s an honor that, at first, even Thomas herself was surprised by when she first heard the news that she was going to be honored.
“I didn’t really understand what that meant. Alex [Maund, Connecticut Sun director of brand development and communication] texted me and let me know,” Thomas told The IX Sports. “It really is truly an honor. It just shows the impact that [I] had on a franchise. For me, I really left everything out there for this franchise.”
Thomas now joins a distinct group of all-time great former players and coaches who will be celebrated by the franchise as a legend, including Curt Miller, Jasmine Thomas (5), Jonquel Jones, Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Margo Dydek, Nykesha Sales, Katie Douglas, Lindsay Whalen and Asjha Jones.
With her No. 25 jersey now in the rafters, Thomas took the time to show Sun fans, the front office and everyone inside the arena love right back.
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you,” she said in her speech.
These days, Thomas rocks the purple and orange as a cornerstone of the Mercury franchise — where she plays alongside her wife and former Sun teammate DeWanna Bonner, a two-time champion and six-time All-Star. While the narrative surrounding Thomas and her recent suspension took over headlines, ensuing racist remarks and commentary online that Thomas herself has spoken up about, the sentiment inside Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday night was one of pure adoration and pride coming from those who have watched — and admired — Thomas since the very beginning of her career.
Even as their opponent, Thomas is still beloved in Connecticut. Sun fans adorned her jersey all season long, wearing it with pride like a vintage relic, and it’s not uncommon to hear people around the arena, including media members, reminisce about the “AT years” and how special it was to watch her dominate throughout those 11 seasons.
That includes Sun head coach Rachid Meziane, who admires both her impact to the Sun as a franchise, and all that she means to the fanbase.
“She has something that you cannot teach, her energy [and] toughness. She’s a real competitor,” Meziane told the media before the game. “I had the chance to coach against her overseas when she was playing for Prague and also the national team. She’s everywhere on the floor, she has enough ability to play five positions. She can push the ball, she’s a point forward. She’s rebounding well … I think that she’s someone who can lead a team by example. She is one of the players that as a coach you would like to have on your team.”
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Thomas’ journey to superstardom has been one of hard work and a consistent dedication to the grind: it took her three years to become an All-Star, and just as long for the Sun to even reach the playoffs, that is until 2017 when they lost to the Mercury in the second-round. Call it crazy foreshadowing, but it was from then on that skyrocketed to becoming a true two-way threat, bulldozing her way to the rim and locking down opponents night in and night out. She averaged a near double-double of 15.5 points and 9 rebounds in 2020 while leading the league in steals per game (2.0) and total steals (42).
She also earned all-Defensive First Team honors that year and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
It was Thomas’ impact that helped lead the Sun’s resurgence into a championship contender. They finished second in the league standings two years in a row from 2020-21, made it all the way to the semi-finals both seasons, and, in 2022, battled their way to the Finals in 2022 against Las Vegas with Thomas leading the team in scoring in the playoffs with 12.3 points per game, 9.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.5 steals. The Sun ultimately lost to the Aces, 3-1, but AT was just getting started: the following year, she earned her fourth All-Star appearance while averaging tying her career-high of 15.5 points per game and 9.9 rebounds. She then finished second in MVP voting behind Breanna Stewart.
“I truly wanted to bring a championship to Connecticut,” Thomas told the media when asked how she wants to be remembered. “For me, my journey wasn’t easy to get to this point. I had to work really hard, and I think we had a lot of players that were underrated and they found their way and now watching them conquer the league as well. I think the fans just appreciate how I approach the game and how hard I’ve played each and every night. I just wanted them to see that I left it out there each and every night.”
As Thomas continues her legendary run in Phoenix, the 6-2 forward is just as sad to see the franchise that she started her playing career with go. As the league continues to grow, Thomas is hopeful that professional women’s basketball will return to New England one day.
“It’s sad to think that there won’t be a team in the Northeast,” Thomas told the media. “Boston would have been a great thing for this, but there’s no telling if one day there will be a team. I guess right now all we have are the memories that we all can share. It’s sad that the history will be gone, but I have faith that one day a team will be back.”
Alyssa Thomas’ legacy in Connecticut lives on.
