Last Updated on September 2, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

The Connecticut Sun 2016 relied on Chiney Ogwumike’s efficient interior scoring and rebounding, while Jasmine Thomas directed the offense as the primary playmaker and added consistent backcourt scoring. Alyssa Thomas contributed across the board with versatile all-around production, and Shekinna Stricklen stretched the floor from the perimeter. Connecticut combined balanced scoring with solid rebounding and ball movement, but inconsistent defense and shooting efficiency limited the team’s overall effectiveness.

Roster

NO. PLAYER POS. HT. WT. DOB COLLEGE
1 Rachel Banham G 5-10 181 July 15, 1993 Minnesota
2 Camille Smith F 6-2 180 January 18, 1985 UNC
3 Kelsey Bone C 6-4 220 December 31, 1991 Texas A&M
5 Jasmine Thomas G 5-9 143 September 30, 1989 Duke
10 Courtney Williams G 5-8 147 May 11, 1994 South Florida
13 Chiney Ogwumike F-C 6-3 183 March 21, 1992 Stanford
15 Aneika Henry-Morello F-C 6-4 192 February 13, 1986 Florida
20 Alex Bentley G 5-7 152 October 27, 1990 Penn State
25 Alyssa Thomas F 6-2 203 April 12, 1992 Maryland
31 Asia Taylor F 6-1 167 August 22, 1991 Louisville
33 Morgan Tuck F 6-2 207 April 30, 1994 UConn
34 Kelly Faris G 5-11 154 January 16, 1991 UConn
35 Jonquel Jones C 6-6 215 January 5, 1994 Clemson, George Washington
40 Shekinna Stricklen F 6-2 230 July 30, 1990 Tennessee

Per Game

PLAYER POS AGE GP GS MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Alex Bentley — 25 34 34 28.8 12.9 1.9 2.5 0.9 0.1 1.4 12.9 5.0 .385 4.9 1.4 .286 1.9 1.5 .785
Chiney Ogwumike — 24 33 18 24.3 12.6 6.7 0.7 1.0 1.0 1.5 8.2 4.8 .587 0.0 0.0   4.2 3.0 .719
Jasmine Thomas — 26 34 34 32.1 11.7 4.1 5.1 1.3 0.4 2.5 10.8 4.4 .408 3.0 0.9 .297 2.3 2.0 .861
Alyssa Thomas — 24 31 31 27.1 11.1 6.0 2.3 1.4 0.2 2.4 8.6 4.2 .487 0.0 0.0   4.2 2.7 .634
Camille Smith — 31 33 29 24.6 7.8 3.0 2.0 1.2 0.3 1.7 7.6 2.9 .384 2.7 0.9 .322 1.7 1.1 .632
Jonquel Jones — 22 34 6 14.1 6.8 3.7 0.6 0.6 1.1 0.7 4.7 2.5 .531 1.0 0.3 .333 2.0 1.5 .739
Courtney Williams — 22 19 0 17.2 8.1 3.6 1.5 0.6 0.2 1.0 8.3 3.5 .427 1.4 0.4 .308 1.0 0.6 .579
Morgan Tuck — 22 26 3 16.7 7.0 2.8 1.1 0.4 0.1 1.0 6.2 2.6 .414 2.2 0.7 .304 1.7 1.2 .711
Kelsey Bone — 24 14 13 23.9 10.7 5.4 1.3 0.7 0.2 1.9 10.1 4.4 .433 1.1 0.3 .267 2.6 1.7 .667
Shekinna Stricklen — 25 28 0 10.9 4.0 1.4 0.5 0.4 0.1 0.1 3.7 1.4 .365 2.8 1.0 .351 0.5 0.3 .643
Kelly Faris — 25 31 0 10.2 2.0 1.2 0.7 0.7 0.1 0.9 1.7 0.7 .396 0.6 0.2 .250 0.5 0.5 .933
Rachel Banham — 22 15 0 10.9 3.7 0.7 0.9 0.5 0.1 0.5 3.3 1.3 .408 2.5 0.9 .351 0.2 0.1 .667
Asia Taylor — 24 4 0 4.3 3.0 1.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.3 0.8 .600 0.0 0.0   1.8 1.5 .857
Aneika Henry-Morello — 30 10 2 5.0 1.2 1.4 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.6 1.3 0.5 .385 0.0 0.0   0.5 0.2 .400

HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight

Player Name Role Tier MPG Usage Tier PPG RPG APG STK (SPG + BPG) Impact Index Notes Awards
Jasmine Thomas Starter/Star 32.1 High 11.7 4.1 5.1 1.7 59.66 Ran virtually every half-court possession as Connecticut’s lead guard, setting the team’s tempo while defending opposing point guards. Independent coverage of Curt Miller’s first season regularly credited her leadership and poise for stabilizing a young roster that played with far more structure than the previous year. None
Alyssa Thomas Starter/Star 27.1 High 11.1 6.0 2.3 1.6 55.70 Functioned as an attacking point-forward whose downhill drives and physical defense became the identity of the frontcourt. Writers frequently highlighted her relentless energy and ability to impact games without relying on jump shooting, making her one of the roster’s foundational pieces. None
Alex Bentley Starter/Star 28.8 High 12.9 1.9 2.5 1.0 48.05 Played as an aggressive scoring guard alongside Jasmine Thomas, giving Connecticut a needed shot creator in transition and late-clock situations. Independent reports noted that her confidence never wavered even through stretches of inconsistent perimeter shooting. None
Chiney Ogwumike Starter/Star 24.3 Medium 12.6 6.7 0.7 2.0 51.62 Returned from injury as an efficient interior finisher, thriving on cuts, offensive rebounds and quick post touches rather than high-volume isolation play. Coverage praised how quickly she regained her physicality after missing the previous season. WNBA Comeback Player of the Year (2016)
Kelsey Bone Key Contributor 23.9 Medium 10.7 5.4 1.3 0.9 42.27 Provided productive minutes as a reserve post scorer before being moved during the season. Independent reporting often described her as an effective low-block option whose long-term fit within Connecticut’s evolving system remained uncertain. None
Courtney Williams Key Contributor 17.2 Medium 8.1 3.6 1.5 0.8 32.34 Brought instant offense off the bench, attacking confidently from the mid-range instead of settling for spot-up looks. Observers consistently viewed her fearless scoring mentality as a bright spot for the rebuilding backcourt. WNBA All-Rookie Team (2016)
Camille Smith Starter/Star 24.6 Medium 7.8 3.0 2.0 1.5 34.36 Filled the veteran glue role by defending multiple positions and spacing the floor when needed. Local and independent coverage frequently mentioned her professionalism as valuable for a roster built around emerging young players. None
Jonquel Jones Key Contributor 14.1 Medium 6.8 3.7 0.6 1.7 29.57 Worked primarily as an energetic reserve center, flashing rebounding instincts and rim protection that hinted at a much larger future role. Analysts regularly identified her length and mobility as rare developmental tools. WNBA All-Rookie Team (2016)
Morgan Tuck Key Contributor 16.7 Medium 7.0 2.8 1.1 0.5 26.10 Split time between both forward spots, giving Connecticut lineup flexibility despite the normal inconsistency expected from a rookie. Independent evaluations emphasized her basketball IQ and willingness to handle different assignments. None
Shekinna Stricklen Bench 10.9 Low 4.0 1.4 0.5 0.5 12.80 Saw limited minutes as a floor-spacing wing, with her perimeter shooting remaining the primary reason she stayed in the rotation. Contemporary coverage suggested she was searching for greater consistency after changing teams. None
Rachel Banham Bench 10.9 Low 3.7 0.7 0.9 0.6 11.80 Limited contemporary coverage was available, but independent reports generally focused on her outside shooting and adjustment to the speed of the professional game during a developmental rookie campaign. None
Kelly Faris Bench 10.2 Low 2.0 1.2 0.7 0.8 9.40 Earned minutes through defensive effort and hustle rather than offensive production. Coaches and local media consistently pointed to her willingness to guard multiple positions and do the unnoticed work. None
Asia Taylor Bench 4.3 Low 3.0 1.0 0.8 0.0 9.60 Appeared only briefly but supplied energy and physical play whenever called upon. Independent reporting on her season was limited because of her small role in the rotation. None
Aneika Henry-Morello Bench 5.0 Low 1.2 1.4 0.2 0.2 6.00 Limited contemporary coverage was available, though she was generally viewed as experienced frontcourt depth capable of providing short defensive stretches when injuries affected the rotation. None
Totals — 249.2 — 113.6 40.4 22.9 14.9 429.27 Connecticut blended veteran leadership with one of the league’s youngest emerging cores, leaning on versatile forwards and developing guards as Curt Miller established a more disciplined system during the regular season. —