After a very condensed free agency period, two prominent veterans were initially left without WNBA contracts: Natasha Cloud and Tina Charles. There were many rumors and rumblings about why Cloud was still unsigned, but the saga ended yesterday when she signed with the Chicago Sky.
The Tina Charles situation was a lot quieter. Charles averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists as the Connecticut Sun’s leading scorer last season, and could help several teams in need of some size and interior scoring. Fans were wondering why no one had picked her up yet, but the situation was not nearly as much discussed as Cloud’s free agency status.
Charles finally provided an answer. She announced on Instagram earlier today that she is retiring.
Charles’s retirement seemed likely as soon as the Sun signed Brittney Griner. It was no secret that the end of her career was approaching and it seemed reasonable to expect that she would want to end her career with the franchise that drafted her and where she became an MVP—and the organization would undoubtedly have granted her that wish if she had wanted to re-sign for the Sun’s final season in Connecticut. But Griner’s move to Connecticut suggested that Charles had no desire to play for another season.
Tina Charles ends a successful WNBA career
Charles spent fourteen seasons in the WNBA, most of which she spent with the Sun and Liberty. Over that time, she amassed many individual accolades. She was named Rookie of the Year after entering the league as the top pick in 2010. She also led the league in rebounding as a rookie and was named to the All-WNBA Second Team.
After that, she led the WNBA in rebounding three more times and in scoring twice in 2016 and 2021. She also added eight All-Star selections, five All-WNBA First Team honors, three more All-WNBA Second Team selections, and four spots on All-Defensive teams.
In 2021, Charles was named to the WNBA 25th Anniversary Team.
Charles retires with the second-most points in WNBA history with 8396. Only Diana Taurasi scored more points as the first player to crack the 10.000 point mark. The closest player to Charles currently is DeWanna Bonner, who would have to score 589 points to overtake her.
Charles also recorded the most rebounds in WNBA history, grabbing a total of 4262 boards. The only active players who are even close to rivalling that number are Nneka Ogwumike and Bonner with 3268 and 3204 rebounds, respectively.
Charles played like a superstar in an era when WNBA players didn’t get the credit they deserved and helped carry the league to where it is now. So, it’s a pity that she won’t get to benefit from the massive pay raises the new CBA brought.
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