HARTFORD, Conn. — The Connecticut Sun fans rose to their feet twice applauding former Sun guard Jasmine Thomas and head coach Curt Miller, who were recognized as ‘Sun Legends’ at Thursday’s historic final Sun game in Hartford.
Together, Miller and Thomas helped solidify Connecticut as one of the most successful WNBA franchises, fueling six consecutive playoff appearances and building a partnership that continues today in Dallas’ front office.
The two stood at center court and were gifted a commemorative varsity jacket alongside Sun team president Jennifer Rizzotti and general manager Morgan Tuck, exchanging hugs. Thomas was honored before the game, and Miller was honored during halftime.
Their legacy
Thomas joined the Sun in 2015 where she became the team’s starting point guard for the next eight seasons. In 2017 she helped lead the Sun to their first postseason appearance since 2012 and earned an All-Star nod.
She also helped them earn a trip to the 2019 WNBA Finals, the team’s first finals appearance since 2005.
Thomas talked about the impact the franchise has had on her career, shaping her as both a person and player. Those lessons have continued to help her as a professional, carrying into her current role as assistant general manager for the Wings.
“I came to the Sun organization at a time where it was early in my career, I wasn’t quite established yet, I was trying to figure out who I was and what it was going to look like, how long I was going to be in this league,” Thomas told reporters. “And I just came here and was able to be surrounded by supportive coaches and also my GM to believe in me and give me that opportunity.”
Miller accepted the job and was announced as the head coach of the Sun in December 2015, his first head coaching position in the WNBA.
At the end of his first season with the franchise in Sept. 2016, he also added the title of general manager to his resume and served in the role through the 2022 season.
During Miller’s tenure in Connecticut, he posted an overall record of 140-86 and earned WNBA and Associated Press Coach of the Year in 2017 and 2021.
An ongoing partnership
Miller said that he and Thomas are “learning each other as true friends” as his relationship with his former player and now colleague grows further.
“She runs our day-to-day operation down in Dallas … ” Miller said. “And like [Sun GM] Morgan [Tuck], you know, Jas will have her own GM title here very, very soon, and she’s more than ready to run an entire franchise.”
The belief that Miller has always had in Thomas has propelled her throughout her career, making it even more memorable to become ‘Sun Legends’ together.
“It’s extremely special for me,” Thomas said on being honored alongside Miller. “It’s a full-circle moment to have the coach that I played my entire career for, pretty much, who believed in me, who helped me grow and develop on the court, and as a woman in this league who’s now in an assistant GM role with him, still learning from him today. So, for me … it’s an honor, and it’s a special experience.”
Rep The IX Sports at your next game!
Shop the logo collection or special “Women’s Sports are Front Page News” collection now on Shopify.
Miller decided to depart Connecticut after the 2022 season to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks. One of the first moves he made was reuniting himself with Thomas. Ironically, current Sun forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa was part of that trade deal to get Thomas there.
In Dallas, their partnership continues to shine with both making an impact on the Wings players and staff. They joined the Wings in a very similar position to when they started their journeys in Connecticut — rebuilding. In his first year as a coach in the WNBA, Wings head coach Jose Fernandez has leaned on Miller and Thomas.
“Jasmine has been unbelievable for me, getting the player’s perspective on a lot of things … individually and collectively as a team, because she experienced it,” Fernandez told reporters pregame. “And I’ve known Curt for a long time through the process of when he was a college coach, and when he was a coach here in Connecticut … so great deal of admiration and respect for both of them. They’re very, very successful now in the front office.”
Why those Connecticut teams were special
The Sun had a solid core for several seasons that contributed to sustained success during Thomas’ tenure in Connecticut. Thomas believes that the success during that era came from an “edge” that group had — a hunger to prove themselves as players individually and collectively.
“We all were so competitive, like internally in our practices and training camp, that’s something I remember enjoying the most, because I was so competitive that I came to a group that pushed each other to the ultimate best that they could be, and I think there was a general respect and appreciation of that on the court,” Thomas said.
The time they spent off the court together was just as memorable as on the court. Thomas explained that since most of the players were all far from their families and friends they created their own “home away from home.”
“We really cared for the success of one another on and off the court,” Thomas said.
Under Miller, Alyssa Thomas (AT), who now plays for the Phoenix Mercury, held a significant responsibility in the team’s success. She gave her former teammate and coach their flowers ahead of their recognition ceremony in Connecticut.
“It’s just a huge honor for Curt and Jas. They were part of a big era in Connecticut, you know, like seven/eight consecutive playoff runs. [They are] a huge reason why we were able to do what we did. So huge congrats to them, super well deserved,” AT told The IX Sports earlier this week.
AT will be honored as a ‘Sun Legend’ later in the season, joining both Jasmine Thomas and Curt Miller up in the rafters.
Connecticut memories
Ahead of being honored, Miller and Thomas reminisced on some of their favorite memories in Connecticut. Thomas gave a nod to their deep All-Star involvement in 2017 where several staff and players were selected.
Miller agreed that this was also one of his favorite memories too. He also enjoyed helping the franchise reach the playoffs again.
The fans and supporting staff in Connecticut were also among Thomas’ favorite memories with the team. She mentioned how spending a lot of time in Mohegan with her teammates and family would often lead to meeting fans in passing.
“I think it was a different time than now, where all the players are so visible and accessible for you to like really know who’s on each roster,” Thomas explained. “It’s something I was really proud of, this fanbase, that no matter how many trades, how many moves, how many seven-day contracts, it did not matter, they knew every player that was on our team, and they make sure that they said something or recognized them. And that just doesn’t go unnoticed. It was a special place.”
Thomas continued and brought up arena staff member “Mike” widely known as the “candy man” for walking around to give out candy to players and staff. And Mike still does that to this day.
“And the staff that would work at the arena, that didn’t necessarily work for the Sun, that don’t always get brought out to the spotlight,” Thomas said. “There’s a guy named Mike at Mohegan … I’m ashamed that I don’t know what Mike does, but that’s how much it didn’t matter, because he meant so much to all the players that came through there. He knew our names, he had the best sneakers, and he would always offer us candy.”
2026 WNBA transaction tracker
From the court to the front office
Current Sun GM Morgan Tuck, also a former Sun forward, was the first player Miller drafted, marking a pivotal point that would set up the team for future success. Thomas has watched Tuck grow from being her rookie to being a force in the front office.
Through it all, Tuck has always been someone she could rely on.
“I’m so proud of her, because she’s like my young teammate and she came in behind me,” Thomas said. “So, to see all that she’s accomplished, and now becoming a mom, like, I just — I get emotional seeing her really thrive in this role. And she’s someone I know I can text, and I can call. So again [it’s a] special moment with Curt [Miller], but also I just want to make sure that Tuck gets her flowers for what she’s done in a short amount of time, and it’s just the beginning for her.”
Miller has been impressed with how Tuck has carried herself and performs as a young general manager — but he also isn’t necessarily surprised.
“She’s elite, and you can’t pull anything over on her, like we talk and joke with [Sun president] Jen Rizzotti. It’s like people test young GMs in the league to see if they’ll make a mistake in a trade, and player acquisitions. She’s so smart, it’s a credit to her. She’s really savvy. I love talking the GM role with her,” Miller said.
‘A range of emotions’
For Miller and Thomas, being honored also comes with the emotions of knowing that this is the last season for the Connecticut Sun franchise before they relocate to Houston for the 2027 season.
“For me, it was a range of emotions,” Miller said. “I think first the disappointment, because of how truly special the ownership of the Mohegan Tribe is, the great bosses that led us and allowed us to build something very special. Then it became reflective, and how appreciative that if it was going to relocate, how darn lucky we were to be a part of something truly special. … [B]ecause of the success of UConn, you hear many people say that Connecticut is the women’s basketball capital of the world, and it truly felt like that.”
As a former player the relocation news hit Thomas a little bit differently than it did for Miller. She said that the team being sold has taught her to live more in the moment.
“[It’s] definitely sad just to know that this home would no longer technically be here. The memories are here, but there wouldn’t be a team to kind of come back to and see games and come on our road trips and be a part of and be back in Mohegan. So, definitely sad, but I think gratitude for sure, and just allowing me to actually reflect, because I just felt like I had time, like I went from one thing to the next thing, and we kind of get stuck in our day to day, and what’s going on, that it really kind of grounded me, and I have a lot to appreciate from my experience here,” Thomas said.
Listen now to The IX Sports Podcast and Women’s Sports Daily
We are excited to announce the launch of TWO new podcasts for all the women’s sports fans out there looking for a daily dose of women’s sports news and analysis. Stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or anywhere you listen to podcasts, and make sure to subscribe!
