The Connecticut Suns have made a name for themselves as being one of the top teams in the conference.
This is due in large part to the immense talent on the team. Everyone is extremely gifted and has to be in order to make the team, but the top forward on the team is more than gifted. She has a spark that comes from her desire and love of the game and to win.
About Tina Charles
Before the WNBA Tina Charles was a basketball standout. After attending the same high school as fellow WNBA player Chamique Holdsclaw, Tina Charles knew basketball was going to be her life.
While still in high school she was named WBCA National Player of the Year, the McDonald’s All American, Miss Basketball, and New York City Player of the Year. Following her high school career she signed a National Letter of Intent to play with the University of Connecticut.
While at the University of Connecticut, Charles continued to perfect her basketball play. Charles helped lead the team to two consecutive NCAA Championships.
In her last season with UConn she averaged 16 points per game and 10 rebounds per game, and also played a huge role in the UConn’s 78-game win streak. She was also named that season’s Big East Player of the Year. Just two days after winning her second NCAA Championships, she was picked by the Connecticut Sun as the No. 1 draft pick in the WNBA.
Charles has won many different awards and accolades for her play in high school, college, and the WNBA. Besides the previously mentioned awards, she has also been named NCAA Final four Most Outstanding Player (2009), Trenton All-Regional Team (2009), All-Big East First Team (2008-10), Big East All-Tournament Team (2008-09), WBCA and State Farm District I All-America (2009), State Farm/WBCA All-America Finalist (2008), AP’s All-America Third Team (2008), USBWA National Freshman of the Year (2007), Big East Freshman of the Yea (2007), All-Big East Second Team (2007), All-Big East Freshman Team (2007), AP’s All-America Honorable Mention (2007), Kodak All-District Team (2007).
Last Season
During the regular season, Tina Charles has been phenomenal. Of the 34 games the team played, she started in all of them and averaged 31 minutes per game. Her stats speak for themselves as she also added in 15.5 points per game, 1.5 assists per game, 1.7 blocks per game and 11.7 rebounds per game.
In addition to this, Charles also went 76.3% from the free throw line and was 48.7% from the field. In her first year with the team and in the WNBA, she managed to make a name for herself and show that just because she was the rookie didn’t mean she had to play like it.
Unfortunately, the Sun was eliminated from the playoffs and for the first time in team history didn’t make the playoffs. Charles was awarded with her play by being named the 2010 Rookie of the Year and also put her name in the books by setting a new team single-season record for offensive and defensive rebounds with 129 and 269 respectively.