Connecticut Sun re-sign Alyssa Thomas to multi-year deal

The Connecticut Sun have re-signed restricted free agent forward Alyssa Thomas to a multi-year deal.

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The Sun announced that they had re-signed the 2017 All-Star and All-Defense selection on Monday. Connecticut has now successfully retained its top two free agents in Thomas and starting wing Shekinna Stricklen.

“I’m excited to continue my career with the Sun and build on what we started last season,” Thomas said in Monday’s release. “Our fans and the Mohegan Tribe have been incredibly supportive throughout my time here. My teammates are a special group and Curt has established a winning culture. We’re going to do everything we can to bring home a championship.”

Early last year, Sun head coach and general manager Curt Miller told The Summitt’s Howard Megdal on the LockedOnWBB podcast that he saw 2018 as the year for his team to start making some noise. The Sun arrived ahead of schedule, in large part due to an injury that forced Thomas to slide up a position.

Starting power forward Morgan Tuck was forced to miss some time early in the 2017 season with a knee injury. Thomas became the team’s new starting four. Courtney Williams and Shekinna Stricklen also joined the starting lineup. That group, bookended by All-Defense selection Jasmine Thomas and All-WNBA center Jonquel Jones, took off from that point.

The Sun were one of three WNBA teams to finish in the top half of the league in both offensive rating (105.5) and defensive rating (100.1) in the regular season. The other two teams: Minnesota and Los Angeles.

“Alyssa emerged as a WNBA All-Star and one of the most talented facilitating forwards in the entire league,” Miller said. “She helped us play an exciting style at the offensive end while providing a toughness that every championship team requires. We are excited about her long-term commitment to the Sun, and look forward to building on the momentum gained during the 2017 season.”