Connecticut Sun Legend Tina Charles Set to Compete in AU Pro Basketball This Spring

The WNBA regular season wrapped up this past week, and with that, all of the players who were eliminated from playoff contention, including those on the Connecticut Sun, have been making decisions on where they may end up playing in the spring. Rookie Saniya Rivers already chose her destination, signing with Unrivaled, and now one of their veteran players has chosen her spring competition as well.

In an announcement from the league on Tuesday, AU Pro Basketball welcomed Sun center Tina Charles to their roster.

The WNBA legend had one of her best seasons on record in 2025, shattering multiple records en route to an extremely productive year. Despite a difficult campaign for the team as a whole, Charles showed she still has plenty of competitive spirit left, as she accrued 16.3 points per game on 43.8% shooting from the field.

With the future of the Sun in question to some degree, whether that be franchise relocation or just the roster itself, Charles could be the centerpiece to build around in 2026 if she chooses to return. But for now, she will look to compete in AU Pro Basketball, which runs throughout the majority of February.

In a follow-up interview and article regarding the news, AU Pro Basketball provided multiple quotes from Charles regarding her decision to choose their league and what factors led to her choice. She discussed the five-on-five format being a key in her reasoning, as well as her admiration for two players in particular, stating:

“Athletes Unlimited was the right fit for me right now. I wanted to stay with the 5-on-5 format, and just the players that have went through there, and just their response to the camaraderie, the friendships that they’ve made, the hospitality, and just being taken care of, was just what I wanted to experience.”

“The excitement from Natasha Cloud, you know, she’s such a big influence on the court and off the court, and so to hear her speak about it, to see her play in it, seeing how Allisha Gray and just the corner that she has turned in her career–jump-started from Athletes Unlimited.”

She also cited being able to give back to the young players as a primary point of emphasis for her time in the spring league, “I know I’ll be one of the oldest players there. So how can I help these players have fruitful careers like I’ve had? Help them see the game differently, help them either way, on the court or off the court, with the way I approach things?”

Ultimately, it is clear that this was the best opportunity for her to get what she wanted out of a spring competition, and will hopefully be one of the building blocks that lead to her returning to Connecticut. While there is plenty of time left to make decisions and a 2026 CBA to decide on before anything major happens, it is positive that she will be taking time to continue her basketball career.