Despite the substantial upheaval to the Connecticut Sun's roster, the franchise made the right choice by choosing Alyssa Thomas as their centerpiece.
At the close of the 2022 season, the Connecticut Sun found themselves on the losing end of the WNBA finals for the second time in four seasons.
The franchise came up short to the Las Vegas Aces (3-1) in a heartbreaking fashion. After suffering another Finals loss, the Sun would lose their head coach, franchise player and another foundational player.
Needless to say, the franchise made the right call to refocus the direction of the roster around Alyssa Thomas — the 6-foot-2 forward who was originally drafted fourth overall by the New York Liberty but was swiftly traded to Connecticut.
Since Thomas arrived in Connecticut in 2014, she has been an important piece but right now the team is in third place with a 13-5 record and he mounting a serious MVP campaign.
The Sun were right to gamble on Alyssa Thomas as the centerpiece in order to keep the franchise relevant. Here are a few reasons why Connecticut made the right decision:
1. Alyssa Thomas has a well-rounded approach
The first reason Connecticut made the right choice in making Thomas their centerpiece is because of her well-rounded game. AT does not need the ball in her hands at all times to have a huge impact and she can dominate the game on both ends of the floor.
The Maryland product is oftentimes the burst of energy that the team needs. She can wreak havoc on the glass, can facilitate the break, and can get to the rim at will.
Currently, Thomas is averaging 14.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, doing everything her team needs. After all of the turmoil surrounding the Sun in the offseason, she is the perfect person to help the franchise weather the storm (no pun intended).
No matter who has been on the roster and now coached it, AT will always play hard and motivate her teammates.
2. Alyssa Thomas leads the clean-up crew
Another reason that the Sun made the right choice to bet on Thomas is because of her grind-it-out mentality. She is a force to be reckoned with and is currently leading the league in steals (2.1).
AT is also second in the league with assists per game (10.2, career-high) and rebounds as well (10.1, career-high).
Her stats are colossal and but they may even undersell the way she helps this team. It's the way that she calls out switches on defense, guards multiple positions, and brings energy to the team that makes her a teammate to love. Despite her oft-injured shoulders, she still dives on the floor and will sacrifice her body to give her team the advantage.
3. Alyssa Thomas Leads by example
The last reason that Connecticut needed to gamble on Thomas was because of her leadership. Before the departure of Jasmine Thomas, Curt Miller, and Jonquel Jones, AT was the voice that motivated and encouraged the team. The team is still able to connect and follow the freight train known as Aylssa Thomas.
She also lets other teammates dominate on the offensive side of the ball. Her defensive prowess also rubs off on her teammates which makes this team tough to beat. Lastly, the fact that she recently won Eastern Conference Player of the Week despite not focusing on scoring displays her strong leadership ability.
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