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Former UConn women’s basketball star Aaliyah Edwards became the fourth former Husky on the Connecticut Sun‘s roster Thursday when she was traded by the Washington Mystics in exchange for Sun guard Jacy Sheldon and the rights to swap first-round picks in 2026.
Edwards was drafted No. 6 overall by the Mystics in 2024 and averaged 7.6 points and 5.6 rebounds in her rookie season, but the sophomore has seen a significant decrease in her minutes this season, with center Shakira Austin back from injury and rookie standout Kiki Iriafen making an instant impact. Edwards missed the first four games of the season with a lower back injury plus another four with a wrist injury after the All-Star break. She leaves Washington averaging six points and 3.3 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per game over 21 appearances this year.
At UConn, Edwards was a two-time All-American, a two-time All-Big East First Team selection and the conference’s Most Improved Player in 2023. The Kingston, Ontario, native is also a two-time Olympian representing Canada in both the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Games. She helped Canada to a silver medal at the 2019 FIBA AmeriCup as well as a bronze in the tournament in 2023.
“Bringing Aaliyah to the Connecticut Sun is more than just a roster move; it’s a statement about where we’re headed as a franchise,” Sun general manager Morgan Tuck said in a release. “Aaliyah is a transformational talent with the mindset and drive that aligns with our vision of building a championship culture. What truly sets her apart is the way she leads, connects, and competes. Aaliyah is the kind of person and player who can help redefine the future of this organization and we’re ready to build that future together.”
Sheldon was a solid contributor in her first season with the Sun after she was traded from the Dallas Wings in a blockbuster four-team deal during the offseason. The sophomore guard logged 7.5 points, two assists and a steal averaging 24.1 minutes in 28 games including 17 starts. The draft pick in the trade allows Washington to swap the 2026 first rounder it received for Karlie Samuelson from Minnesota — currently the first-place team in the league — with the first rounder the Sun received from the New York Liberty in the trade for Natasha Cloud.
Both picks will almost certainly be late in the first round, so the move won’t have a significant impact on Connecticut’s draft position. The Sun’s two first-round picks in 2026 come from New York and Phoenix after it traded its own lottery pick to the Chicago Sky for Marina Mabrey last July.
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Edwards is now the third UConn forward on the Sun’s roster, joining veteran star Tina Charles and former teammate Olivia Nelson-Ododa, who Edwards played with in Storrs from 2020-22. Former Huskies guard Bria Hartley also signed with the team during training camp and has established herself as a consistent starter in her first WNBA appearance since 2022.
Connecticut is in the midst of a massive rebuilding year after losing its entire 2024 starting lineup in free agency, and the team is all but guaranteed to miss the playoffs this season for the first time since 2016. The Sun are currently in last place in the league with a 5-23 record, and Edwards won’t be available for Thursday night’s against the Los Angeles Sparks. Her debut will presumably come Sunday when the Sun play against the Las Vegas Aces on the road.
