The Las Vegas Aces just won their third title in four years and have officially entered dynasty territory akin to what the Houston Comets did in the first four years of the league, the Detroit Shock in the early 2000s, and the Minnesota Lynx in the 2010s. Out of those three teams, the Lynx are the only one that still exists in the same city and under the same name.
The Shock were relocated to Tulsa in 2009. In 2015, the team became the Dallas Wings. Meanwhile, the Houston Comets folded in 2008 much to fans’ great dismay. Now that the WNBA is growing and seeing unprecedented popularity, fans have been pushing for another team in Houston. With all the dynasty talk surrounding the Aces, fans’ nostalgia for the Comets has been highlighted once again.
So far, Houston hasn’t been awarded an expansion team. Instead, the WNBA decided to move to Toronto, Portland, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. However, there may be another way Houston can get its second shot at housing a WNBA team. NBA insider Jake Fischer recently reported that “word has persisted that Houston continues to be the leading destination for relocation of the Connecticut Sun, according to league sources, if the franchise is indeed moved out of the Mohegan Sun casino to a new locale.”
The current owners are looking to sell the Sun
In 2003, the Mohegan Tribe bought the Orlando Miracle and moved the team to Connecticut. Now, the owners are reportedly ready to sell the team. At first, it seemed the team was headed to Boston—a prominent basketball city that already drew in tons of fans when the Sun played regular-season games at TD Garden. Hartford was also an option that would keep the team in Connecticut.
However, the league didn’t accept either proposal, noting that cities that have already gone through the process of applying for an expansion team should have priority.
Houston was a staple in women’s basketball during the early years of the WNBA
Houston was home to one of the WNBA’s original eight franchises and the league’s first dynasty. Led by Cynthia Cooper, Tina Thompson, and Sheryl Swoopes, the Comets won the WNBA’s first four championships and firmly established the league’s first dynasty. Losing the team in 2008 was a big blow to the WNBA.
If the Sun moved to Houston, it would technically be a different franchise than the early Comets dynasty. Nevertheless, it would be a thrill for WNBA fans in Houston, especially the ones who were around when the league first started.