Last Updated on September 2, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
The Connecticut Sun 2021 combined balanced scoring with one of the WNBA’s most dominant defensive and rebounding units. Jonquel Jones led the offense with efficient inside-out scoring while controlling the glass, Alyssa Thomas and Jasmine Thomas directed the attack with strong playmaking, and DeWanna Bonner added versatile two-way production. Connecticut’s efficient shooting, physical rebounding, disciplined defense, and unselfish ball movement made them one of the league’s most complete teams.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER | POS. | HT. | WT. | DOB | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beatrice Mompremier | F | 6-4 | 190 | August 8, 1996 | Miami (FL) |
| 2 | Natisha Hiedeman | G | 5-8 | 132 | February 10, 1997 | Marquette |
| 3 | Kaila Charles | G-F | 6-1 | 168 | March 23, 1998 | Maryland |
| 4 | Stephanie Jones | F | 6-2 | 185 | July 10, 1998 | Maryland |
| 5 | Jasmine Thomas | G | 5-9 | 143 | September 30, 1989 | Duke |
| 11 | Aleah Goodman | G | 5-9 | 152 | November 24, 1998 | Oregon State |
| 20 | Briann January | G | 5-8 | 148 | January 11, 1987 | Arizona State |
| 21 | DiJonai Carrington | G-F | 5-11 | 175 | January 8, 1998 | Stanford, Baylor |
| 24 | DeWanna Bonner | F-G | 6-4 | 140 | August 21, 1987 | Auburn |
| 25 | Alyssa Thomas | F | 6-2 | 203 | April 12, 1992 | Maryland |
| 32 | Emma Cannon | F | 6-2 | 190 | June 1, 1989 | Florida Southern College |
| 32 | Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | G | 5-9 | 140 | May 18, 1995 | Maryland |
| 35 | Jonquel Jones | C | 6-6 | 215 | January 5, 1994 | Clemson, George Washington |
| 42 | Brionna Jones | F | 6-3 | 215 | December 18, 1995 | Maryland |
Regular Season Per Game
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOPG | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonquel Jones | F | 27 | 27 | 27 | 31.7 | 19.4 | 11.2 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 2.9 | 13.8 | 7.1 | .515 | 4.3 | 1.6 | .362 | 4.5 | 3.6 | .802 |
| DeWanna Bonner | F | 33 | 32 | 32 | 31.9 | 15.2 | 6.4 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 12.6 | 5.0 | .395 | 4.3 | 1.4 | .317 | 4.3 | 3.9 | .892 |
| Brionna Jones | C | 25 | 32 | 32 | 30.6 | 14.7 | 7.3 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 10.6 | 6.1 | .571 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.2 | 2.6 | .796 |
| Jasmine Thomas | G | 31 | 30 | 30 | 29.6 | 10.6 | 2.4 | 4.1 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 9.8 | 3.8 | .386 | 3.5 | 1.4 | .400 | 1.9 | 1.6 | .875 |
| Alyssa Thomas | F | 29 | 3 | 0 | 12.3 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 1.3 | .267 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | .750 | |
| Natisha Hiedeman | G | 24 | 32 | 5 | 20.1 | 7.6 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 6.1 | 2.4 | .400 | 4.0 | 1.6 | .398 | 1.6 | 1.1 | .700 |
| Kaila Charles | G | 23 | 30 | 4 | 16.3 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 4.4 | 1.6 | .368 | 1.1 | 0.3 | .303 | 0.8 | 0.7 | .875 |
| Emma Cannon | F | 32 | 5 | 0 | 11.6 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 3.4 | 1.6 | .471 | 1.6 | 0.8 | .500 | 0.4 | 0.2 | .500 |
| Briann January | G | 34 | 29 | 29 | 30.2 | 7.0 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 5.8 | 2.4 | .425 | 2.4 | 0.9 | .380 | 1.3 | 1.1 | .868 |
| DiJonai Carrington | G | 23 | 24 | 1 | 9.2 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 3.4 | 1.1 | .329 | 0.9 | 0.1 | .143 | 0.6 | 0.5 | .733 |
| Beatrice Mompremier | C | 24 | 32 | 0 | 8.6 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 0.8 | .491 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | .417 | |
| Stephanie Jones | F | 22 | 18 | 0 | 5.5 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 0.7 | .414 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.1 | 0.1 | .500 |
| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | G | 26 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||
| Aleah Goodman | G | 22 | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Playoff Per Game
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOPG | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonquel Jones | F | 27 | 4 | 4 | 35.0 | 16.3 | 9.8 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 14.8 | 6.8 | .458 | 2.3 | 1.0 | .444 | 2.3 | 1.8 | .778 |
| DeWanna Bonner | F | 33 | 4 | 4 | 35.0 | 13.5 | 7.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 11.8 | 4.8 | .404 | 3.8 | 1.5 | .400 | 2.8 | 2.5 | .909 |
| Brionna Jones | C | 25 | 4 | 4 | 25.8 | 11.8 | 4.3 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 8.0 | 4.8 | .594 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 2.3 | .643 | |
| Alyssa Thomas | F | 29 | 4 | 0 | 23.3 | 11.8 | 6.0 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 12.3 | 5.0 | .408 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.8 | 1.8 | .636 |
| Natisha Hiedeman | G | 24 | 4 | 0 | 18.0 | 9.0 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 5.5 | 2.8 | .500 | 3.8 | 2.3 | .600 | 1.8 | 1.3 | .714 |
| Jasmine Thomas | G | 31 | 4 | 4 | 34.3 | 8.3 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 3.3 | 10.8 | 2.8 | .256 | 4.5 | 1.0 | .222 | 2.3 | 1.8 | .778 |
| Briann January | G | 34 | 3 | 3 | 34.0 | 10.7 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 5.7 | 3.0 | .529 | 2.7 | 1.7 | .625 | 4.3 | 3.0 | .692 |
| Kaila Charles | G | 23 | 4 | 1 | 13.3 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 4.0 | 1.3 | .313 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Beatrice Mompremier | C | 24 | 2 | 0 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | .500 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Stephanie Jones | F | 22 | 1 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||
| DiJonai Carrington | G | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Regular Season Team Impact Spotlight
| PLAYER NAME | ROLE TIER | MPG | USAGE TIER | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | IMPACT INDEX | NOTES | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonquel Jones | Starter/Star [1.1] | 31.7 | High [1.2] | 19.4 | 11.2 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 94.51 | Connecticut’s offense flowed through Jones as a true three-level centerpiece rather than a traditional post scorer. Sports Illustrated highlighted how her expanded perimeter game and advanced feel made her the league’s toughest matchup, while opponents increasingly built defensive game plans around limiting her touches. (SI) | WNBA MVP (2021); All-WNBA First Team (2021); WNBA All-Star (2021); WNBA Rebounding Leader (2021); Commissioner’s Cup Eastern Champion (2021) |
| DeWanna Bonner | Starter/Star [1.1] | 31.9 | High [1.2] | 15.2 | 6.4 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 71.81 | Bonner settled naturally into a complementary star role, giving Connecticut dependable half-court scoring without disrupting its ball movement. Season coverage often noted her ability to create offense late in possessions while defending multiple frontcourt assignments. (WNBA) | WNBA All-Star (2021); Commissioner’s Cup Eastern Champion (2021) |
| Brionna Jones | Starter/Star [1.1] | 30.6 | Medium [1.1] | 14.7 | 7.3 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 61.95 | Jones embraced the dirty work that allowed Connecticut’s stars to flourish, thriving as a screener, interior finisher and relentless offensive rebounder. Her breakout season was widely recognized as one of the league’s biggest developmental success stories. (sun.wnba.com) | WNBA Most Improved Player (2021); WNBA All-Star (2021); Commissioner’s Cup Eastern Champion (2021) |
| Jasmine Thomas | Starter/Star [1.1] | 29.6 | Medium [1.1] | 10.6 | 2.4 | 4.1 | 1.5 | 44.77 | Thomas remained the steady organizer of Connecticut’s backcourt, setting tempo while accepting demanding defensive matchups. Reporters regularly praised her leadership and willingness to prioritize playmaking over individual scoring. (WNBA) | Commissioner’s Cup Eastern Champion (2021) |
| Briann January | Starter/Star [1.1] | 30.2 | Medium [1.1] | 7.0 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 30.73 | January’s influence was rooted in defensive discipline and veteran composure rather than volume scoring. Coaches consistently trusted her to organize the perimeter defense and make the correct read in late-game situations. (WNBA) | Commissioner’s Cup Eastern Champion (2021) |
| Natisha Hiedeman | Key Contributor [1.05] | 20.1 | Medium [1.1] | 7.6 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 28.42 | Hiedeman gave Connecticut instant pace and floor spacing off the bench, and her confidence as a perimeter shooter continued to grow. Analysts frequently cited her as one of the league’s more effective reserve guards during the regular season. (WNBA) | Commissioner’s Cup Eastern Champion (2021) |
| Kaila Charles | Bench [1.0] | 16.3 | Low [1.0] | 4.3 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 18.20 | Charles earned minutes through physical wing defense and energy plays instead of offensive volume. Contemporary coverage focused on her versatility and willingness to fill whichever role the coaching staff required. (WNBA) | Commissioner’s Cup Eastern Champion (2021) |
| Emma Cannon | Bench [1.0] | 11.6 | Low [1.0] | 4.2 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 16.40 | Cannon provided productive reserve minutes with hustle, rebounding and interior activity whenever Connecticut needed extra frontcourt depth. Independent season-specific coverage was limited because her role remained situational. (WNBA) | Commissioner’s Cup Eastern Champion (2021) |
| Alyssa Thomas | Bench [1.0] | 12.3 | Low [1.0] | 3.7 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 17.20 | Returning late from an Achilles injury, Thomas was eased back into the lineup with carefully managed minutes. Coverage centered more on her rehabilitation and long-term importance than on immediate production. (WNBA) | None |
| DiJonai Carrington | Bench [1.0] | 9.2 | Low [1.0] | 2.8 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 11.80 | Carrington flashed the defensive intensity that would later define her career, bringing energy whenever she entered the game. Independent reporting viewed her season primarily as an important developmental step. (WNBA) | None |
| Beatrice Mompremier | Bench [1.0] | 8.6 | Low [1.0] | 1.8 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 10.20 | Mompremier filled a developmental reserve role behind one of the league’s deepest frontcourts. Contemporary independent coverage was limited, with most discussion focusing on her rebounding potential. (WNBA) | None |
| Stephanie Jones | Bench [1.0] | 5.5 | Low [1.0] | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 6.00 | Jones appeared in limited opportunities as a rookie reserve. Available reporting emphasized her work ethic and long-term upside more than immediate on-court impact. (WNBA) | None |
| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | Bench [1.0] | 4.0 | Low [1.0] | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 4.00 | Walker-Kimbrough made only a brief appearance, leaving little independent season-specific coverage. Her contribution came primarily as experienced roster depth. (WNBA) | None |
| Aleah Goodman | Bench [1.0] | 3.0 | Low [1.0] | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.00 | Goodman appeared briefly near the end of the season, and independent reporting on her on-court role was limited due to minimal playing time. (WNBA) | None |
| TEAM TOTALS | 92.7 | 45.4 | 22.2 | 15.0 | 417.99 | Connecticut paired elite frontcourt production with disciplined guard play to finish with the WNBA’s best regular-season record, capture the Eastern Commissioner’s Cup berth and establish itself as one of the league’s most balanced teams. | WNBA Regular Season Champion (2021); Commissioner’s Cup Eastern Champion (2021) |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Playoff Team Impact Spotlight
| PLAYER NAME | ROLE TIER | MPG | USAGE TIER | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | IMPACT INDEX | NOTES | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonquel Jones | Starter/Star [1.1] | 35.0 | High [1.2] | 16.3 | 9.8 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 87.38 | Chicago consistently sent extra defenders at Jones, forcing her to create under heavy pressure rather than dominate one-on-one. Even with constant double teams, she remained Connecticut’s offensive focal point and still impacted games with rebounding and rim protection. (The IX Sports) | WNBA MVP (2021); All-WNBA First Team (2021); WNBA All-Star (2021) |
| Alyssa Thomas | Key Contributor [1.05] | 23.3 | Medium [1.1] | 11.8 | 6.0 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 54.52 | Returning from an Achilles injury, Thomas steadily reclaimed her point-forward responsibilities as the series unfolded. Curt Miller leaned on her late because her downhill attacks and defensive intensity noticeably changed Connecticut’s energy despite a managed workload. (The IX Sports) | None |
| DeWanna Bonner | Starter/Star [1.1] | 35.0 | High [1.2] | 13.5 | 7.0 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 64.42 | Bonner spent much of the series creating difficult offense against an aggressive Chicago defense while also guarding multiple frontcourt matchups. Her length and rebounding kept Connecticut competitive whenever half-court possessions stalled. (CBS Sports) | WNBA All-Star (2021) |
| Brionna Jones | Starter/Star [1.1] | 25.8 | Medium [1.1] | 11.8 | 4.3 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 45.98 | Jones continued to generate efficient interior scoring, but Chicago’s defensive attention and changing frontcourt rotations reduced her usual rhythm. Analysts still viewed her footwork around the rim as one of Connecticut’s few reliable answers inside. (The IX Sports) | WNBA Most Improved Player (2021); WNBA All-Star (2021) |
| Jasmine Thomas | Starter/Star [1.1] | 34.3 | Medium [1.1] | 8.3 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 42.96 | Thomas never stopped attacking defensively, even while her shot deserted her for stretches of the series. Her leadership remained important, but Chicago’s pressure forced difficult looks and limited Connecticut’s backcourt efficiency. (CBS Sports) | None |
| Briann January | Starter/Star [1.1] | 34.0 | Medium [1.1] | 10.7 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 41.99 | January provided dependable perimeter defense and timely shooting, often matching up with Chicago’s veteran guards. Her calm decision-making helped Connecticut stay organized during several tense late-game stretches. (CBS Sports) | None |
| Natisha Hiedeman | Key Contributor [1.05] | 18.0 | Medium [1.1] | 9.0 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 32.57 | Hiedeman injected pace and perimeter shooting whenever the second unit entered. Her willingness to fire confidently from deep gave Connecticut valuable offensive spacing against Chicago’s compact defense. (The IX Sports) | None |
| Kaila Charles | Bench [1.0] | 13.3 | Low [1.0] | 2.5 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 13.80 | Charles was used primarily for defensive versatility and hustle rather than scoring. Independent postseason coverage was limited, but her physical approach earned occasional rotation minutes in difficult matchups. (CBS Sports) | None |
| Beatrice Mompremier | Bench [1.0] | 3.5 | Low [1.0] | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 5.00 | Mompremier appeared briefly as frontcourt depth. Contemporary independent reporting on her playoff role was limited because Connecticut relied heavily on its veteran rotation. (CBS Sports) | None |
| Stephanie Jones | Bench [1.0] | 1.0 | Low [1.0] | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | Jones saw only a brief appearance, leaving little season-specific independent coverage beyond serving as emergency frontcourt depth. (CBS Sports) | None |
| DiJonai Carrington | Bench [1.0] | 0.5 | Low [1.0] | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | Carrington’s role disappeared as Connecticut shortened its playoff rotation. Independent reporting during the series focused almost entirely on the club’s veteran core. (CBS Sports) | None |
| TEAM TOTALS | 84.9 | 37.8 | 19.5 | 16.1 | 389.62 | Connecticut entered the playoffs as the league’s top seed behind elite defense and frontcourt play, but Chicago’s physical coverage, aggressive help defense and balanced offense ended the Sun’s championship bid in a hard-fought semifinal series. | WNBA Regular Season Champion (2021) |