WNBA: Can Morrow, Rivers help establish a new culture for the Sun?

With the whole starting lineup from last season gone and Marina Mabrey demanding a trade, the Connecticut Sun are about to rebuild on a large scale.

They have a new head coach in Rachid Meziane, who has no prior WNBA experience but is a well established figure in European basketball. His main duty will be keeping Mabrey satisfied by building a team around her that best utilizes her shooting skills. She will be surrounded by a mix of veterans and inexperienced players, including the team’s two first-round picks in the 2025 WNBA Draft: Aneesah Morrow (No. 7) and Saniya Rivers (No. 8).

Here’s what the two rookies can bring to the Sun:

Aneesah Morrow

Aneesah Morrow is a team-first player who finished her four-year college career second all-time in double-doubles with 104. Named to All-SEC First Team and SEC All-Defensive Team, along with gaining All-American honors, Morrow was the leader of the LSU Tigers this season. Most importantly for the culture in Connecticut, she idolizes the Sun’s former leader, Alyssa Thomas. She will be doing her best to emulate her, and that’s all you can ask from a rookie picked No. 7 overall.

She proved her toughness during March Madness, playing through a bleeding nose. So, she will not be afraid of the physicality of the WNBA. Apart from scoring and rebounding, she can steal the ball as well. Her play on both sides of the court should benefit the Sun.

Saniya Rivers

Saniya Rivers will either come off the bench behind Mabrey, play next to her or be expected to be the primary backcourt starter if Mabrey eventually is traded.

Whereas Morrow can step into the role of Thomas, Rivers will be expected to serve as a younger version of DiJonai Carrington. That means being the dog on defense. She’s not a great shooter and that’s the aspect of her game she’ll have to improve, but she has the work ethic and the determination to succeed. She bet on herself, transferring from South Carolina to play at NC State after her freshman year; she became starter in her junior year, following up the ACC Sixth Player of the Year honors she earned in her first year on the Wolfpack.