The post Sun’s Tina Charles drops honest admission on retirement appeared first on ClutchPoints.
The Connecticut Sun are experiencing the consequences of a poorly executed offseason. The Sun lost their entire starting lineup this winter and scrambled to replace them. Connecticut brought back former MVP Tina Charles to be their center. However, the eight-time All-Star admitted to Sue Bird that she might only play until the new collective bargaining agreement begins.
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Charles has been in the league in 2010 and has one of the most successful careers the WNBA has ever seen. Barring a stellar comeback from DeWanna Bonner, she will retire as the league’s second all-time leading scorer. However, she likely will not catch the all-time leader, Diana Taurasi, her former teammate on the Phoenix Mercury.
Charles continues to be effective, even at 36 years old. However, the Sun’s losing has taken a toll on her mind and body throughout the 2025 season. She spoke with Bird on Bird’s Eye View about her approach to the season and her eventual retirement.
“I probably think about it everyday,” Charles said. “Everyday, it’s the losing compounded with going in playing at this age. Playing in the 30 minute range and just how you feel physically. And it’s more games. I feel like when I came in 2010 it was like 31, 32ish games. I think the games we started the season in June. Now you have 44 games.”
Despite the fact that Charles could retire today and be remembered as a legend, she wants to keep playing. According to her, she feels a responsibility to stay in the WNBA until the new CBA kicks in. It isn’t about the money for Charles, but rather, what it does for the young players the Sun center admires.
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“Obviously you’re so close anyone around my age. There’s only a few of us, where the new CBA is coming in. And it’s like not even about being able to enter into that new money, it’s just how you were able to bring the league along to where it is,” Charles said.
While she could join Taurasi and Bird in retirement soon, Charles is committed to finishing out the 2025 season. Regardless of when she decides to walk away from the league, she is an all-time great in the WNBA.
Related: Sun’s Tina Charles confronted Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi over ball hog remarks