Connecticut Sun waive Johannah Leedham and Latoya Williams to reach 11 players

The #ConnecticutSun have waived Latoya Williams and Johannah Leedham to reach 11 players, #WNBA

— John Altavilla (@jaltavilla) May 23, 2013

That means Ashley Walker and Natasha Lacey have made the team - for now. #ConnecticutSun #WNBA

— John Altavilla (@jaltavilla) May 23, 2013

Always sad to see players cut, but as a Pac-12 fan it's nice to see Ashley Walker find her way back onto a WNBA roster.

For more on the Sun, check out our offseason storystream.

Liberty take revenge on Sun

Just the Facts, Ma'am: The New York Liberty took over the game in the third quarter and beat the Connecticut Sun 78-67. New York committed 21 turnovers, but shot 51.6% from the field. The Liberty were led by 14 points from Cappie Pondexter, while rookie post Kelsey Bone added 12 points and six rebounds off the bench. Ashley Walker was the only Connecticut player in double figures, with 12 points.

For track work, painful confessions, hats, kicking it old-school, the soul train, defensive posterizations, taking advantage of opportunities, and familiarity, join your intrepid and shorn blogger after the jump.

New York Liberty beats the Connecticut Sun 78-67 in a preseason match

From looking only at box scores, Cappie Pondexter led the way for the Libs, scoring 14 points on 6-9 shooting along with six rebounds and four assists. Essence Carson and Kelsey Bone also scored in double figures. In addition, Bone played 27 minutes in the game off the bench, and Toni Young earned the start, but she played a little under 16 minutes for the game. A 26-15 third quarter was the turning point in the Liberty's favor for the game.

For the Sun, no single player played over 25 minutes, with Tina Charles playing those minutes. She had 8 points, 5 rebounds, as well as two assists and steals. Ashley Walker, who was on the Mystics' preseason roster last year, and also a California Golden Bear alumna (just had to point that out for our fellow Bear fans :) ) was the leading scorer for the contest where she scored 12 points on 5-9 shooting, and made two of five three point shots.

The Sun's lone rookie, Kelly Faris played the least of the players on the roster with under 5 minutes of action and had one assist. She had a foot injury earlier during training camp so that may have been why, but if she's only earning a spot in Trudi Lacey's mentor's doghouse, we may have to start a new campaign for... you know. :)

And that's if she makes it that far... After all, the Sun didn't waste time cutting its 2nd and 3rd round picks soon after training camps began.

(Mike Thibault loves young talent by the way... He unleashed the Meesseman and the Nubie and should do so again tonight. Maybe I'm thinking out loud...)

But in seriousness, I do want to see Kelly Faris play and make an impact even on a team that looks pretty set like the Connecticut Sun, and hopefully we'll get to see that when the regular season comes around.

Connecticut Sun waives Anna Prins and Andrea Smith

From the Sun's Twitter account, the team has waiver Anna Prins and Andrea Smith:

Anna Prins and Andrea Smith have been waived. TheSun now have 14 players on their roster following these transactions.

— ConnecticutSun (@ConnecticutSun) May 8, 2013

Obviously it's early right now in camp but even I'm a little surprised that some players have been cut already this soon before a preseason game at least.

H/T to Shannon for noting this.

Q&A with Chatilla van Grinsven on a special senior season & signing with the Connecticut Sun

Last week St. Joseph's Hawks star Chatilla van Grinsven signed with the Connecticut Sun after being named Big 5 Player of the Year. Swish Appeal had the opportunity to follow-up with van Grinsven on a special senior season, the Connecticut Sun, and preparing for the next step in her basketball career.

Anne Donovan on 2013 WNBA Draft selection Anna Prins

6-foot-7 Iowa State center Anna Prins didn't have the type of statistics that immediately strike you as a successful draft prospect - she wasn't on my draft board - but new Connecticut Sun coach Anne Donovan sees a potential role for her in the WNBA, as reported by Elwood K. Shelton of the Bloomfield Enterprise.

Prins' scoring versatility and size both caught Ann Donovan's attention. The Sun coach believes the rookie has the potential to play a complementary role alongside one of the WNBA's top low-post players -- Tina Charles. But Prins has to prove herself in a couple of areas when she reports in early May for training camp to make the cut for the Sun's final roster of 11.

"For sure the physicality and pace of the league are some of the major adjustments players have to make," Donovan said. "And they are two question marks for Anna and how quickly she can work into them."

To Donovan's point, Prins was a career 33.8% 3-point shooter at ISU with her senior year percentage of 28.1% being a career-low. But to the other part of her comments above, that issue of pace and physicality also played out in her stats: at 6-foot-7, a block percentage of just 2.5% and a free throw rate of just 22.85% aren't very good signs for WNBA success.

For more on the Sun, visit our offseason storystream. For more on the draft, visit our 2013 WNBA Draft section.

2013 WNBA Draft: Connecticut Sun select Andrea Smith with 35th pick

With the penultimate pick in the draft, the Connecticut Sun selected Andrea Smith of University of South Florida.

We haven't said much about her but she's Andrell Smith's twin and I wrote this about both of them shortly after the Elite Eight: "I'm not grouping these two players together solely because they're twins - they happen to fit a similar profile as draft prospects too. Both players are high-volume, low-efficiency shooters - both have usage rates over 27% and 2-point percentages under 42%."

2013 WNBA Draft: Connecticut Sun select Anna Prins 23rd overall

Wows: Anna Prins is a big who could stretch the floor a bit as a 28.1% 3-point shooter.

Wonders: She has a slender build so it will be interesting to see how she competes with the more physical players of the WNBA.

Worries: Prins wasn't on our draft lists because she's not a particularly efficient scorer overall and didn't rebound for a player so tall.

2013 WNBA Draft: Connecticut Sun select Kelly Faris 11th overall

Wows: Faris went from an extremely low usage player who was on the border of being a strong prospect to an astronomically high efficiency player who knows how to navigate space, knock down threes, and set up teammates. And defensively she was responsible for helping to shut down Notre Dame's perimeter players in the Final Four.

Wonders: The only real question is whether she'll have a bigger immediate impact on defense or offense as she makes the transition to the league. She has all the tools to be a player right away.

Also, how many UConn players does this team really need?

Worries: Does it matter that she's still such a low usage player? No player with a usage rate as low as hers has really made an impact in the league since the change to 11-player rosters so it will be interesting to see how that plays out.

Connecticut Sun's Danielle McCray injured in overseas play; Asjha Jones will not take a roster spot

According to Mike DiMauro of The Day, in addition to our aforementioned piece that Asjha Jones would be out for the 2013 season, Connecticut Sun guard/forward Danielle McCray suffered an injury on her overseas team in Italy, Famila Schio. She will have an MRI today, according to Sun VP/GM Chris Sienko. She may have to sit out this season as well. In regards to Jones, the article notes that Asjha Jones will not take a roster spot this year.

In addition, there is a chance that French Olympic team member Sandrine Gruda may play for the Sun later this summer, but it won't be until after June 30 when the European championships end.

H/T to jimhu for the link.

Connecticut Sun forward Asjha Jones to sit out 2013 season

Today the Connecticut Sun announced that forward Asjha Jones will sit out the 2013 season due to nagging injuries. The injuries come from a strained Achilles tendon that she suffered last season which caused her to miss 14 games in the 2012 season.

Connecticut Sun hires Catherine Proto as assistant coach

Yesterday, the Connecticut Sun named Catherine Proto as an assistant coach to Anne Donovan's staff for the 2013 season. Proto was one of Donovan's assistants at Seton Hall, and before spent seven years with the New York Liberty for scouting and video operations. Former Washington Mystics Assistant Coach Jennifer Gillom is the other assistant on the team.

Proto gave a statement through the team saying,"I am very excited to be joining the Connecticut Sun organization. I look forward to continuing the winning tradition in Connecticut and working alongside coach Anne Donovan again this season." In addition, Coach Donovan said, "I have had the pleasure of working with Catherine for the last five years in both the WNBA and at Seton Hall. Catherine has a great basketball mind. Her seven years of experience with the New York Liberty will be a tremendous asset to our staff.”

2012-2013 Connecticut Sun Offseason: Can Anne Donovan lead the team to a championship?

The 2012 Connecticut Sun had a 25-9 regular season record and reached the Eastern Conference Finals, led by a young duo in center Tina Charles who was the league MVP, and guard Renee Montgomery who was the league's Sixth Woman of the Year. The Sun also had veteran leadership from Asjha Jones and Kara Lawson who also provided valuable contributions to the team. After the season, the Sun fired head coach Mike Thibault primarily because he was unable to lead the team to the championship, and replaced him with Anne Donovan in early January. What personnel moves will GM Chris Sienko and Coach Donovan make for the team in 2013?

Renee Montgomery re-signs with the Connecticut Sun

The signings continue to roll in. Earlier today, the Connecticut Sun re-signed guard Renee Montgomery to a three year contract. Montgomery was the WNBA's Sixth Woman of the Year in 2012, and was also an All Star in 2011.

Jennifer Gillom named assistant coach for the Connecticut Sun

Today, the Connecticut Sun announced that Jennifer Gillom will join Anne Donovan's staff for the 2013 season.

Coach Gillom spent the 2012 season with the Washington Mystics and with the Team USA women's Olympic basketball team, and was an assistant on both of those teams. While Team USA won the gold medal last year in London, the Mystics had a bad season to say the least. Before getting on the Mystics, she was a head coach for the Minnesota Lynx (2009) and LA Sparks (2010-2011), and got the Sparks to the playoffs in 2010.

Coach Gillom and Coach Donovan were both players on the Team USA Olympic basketball team that won the Gold Medal in the 1988 Seoul, Korea games. As a player, Gillom played most of her early professional career in Europe, but played in the WNBA from 1997-2003 where she played on the Phoenix Mercury (1997-2002) and the Los Angeles Sparks (2003).

This move guarantees that the Mystics will not have the same two assistant coaches from 2012, where Marianne Stanley was re-hired by new head coach Mike Thibault. Coincidentally there is a coaching swap of sorts with Coach Gillom going from DC to Connecticut and Coach Thibault coming from Connecticut to DC.

Anne Donovan officially named Connecticut Sun head coach

Today, the Connecticut Sun announced that Anne Donovan, current women's basketball head coach at Seton Hall University, has been named the team's head coach. She replaces Mike Thibault who was also the team's only head coach since the Sun moved to Connecticut from Orlando in 2003.

Connecticut Sun to hold press conference at 3 PM ET to introduce new head coach

The Sun tweeted this out earlier today:

We will be holding a press conference this afternoon at 3 p.m. to announce our new head coach! Watch it live: bit.ly/Vyp5Ol

— ConnecticutSun (@ConnecticutSun) January 3, 2013

As we told you yesterday, it is expected that Seton Hall women's basketball head coach Anne Donovan will be the new hire.

DiMauro: Anne Donovan to be named coach of the Connecticut Sun

Anne Donovan to be named new coach of the ct sun per league sources #wnba

— Mike DiMauro (@BCgenius) January 2, 2013

As originally tweeted by Mike DiMauro of the New London Day, Hall of Famer Anne Donovan is expected to be named coach of the Connecticut Sun. John Altavilla has followed that up with a report in the Hartford Courant.

We'll have more later, but for now an interesting observation from Kevin Pelton:

With Laimbeer and Donovan returning, I think this is the strongest the WNBA coaching ranks have ever been.

— Kevin Pelton (@kpeltonWBB) January 3, 2013

What are your thoughts on the hire? Did the Sun make the right choice given their situation?

The Connecticut Sun is continuing to search for its new head coach

Since Mike Thibault was fired by the Connecticut Sun as its head coach, the team has been looking for his replacement. What has General Manager Chris Sienko been up to lately? And who would he like to hire?

Links: Washington Mystics' Hiring Of Mike Thibault Gets Positive Reviews From Around The Web

So, there's a lot more buzz going around the WNBA at this time of year because the Washington Mystics hired Mike Thibault as their new General Manager and Head Coach. And the reviews are all positive.

Washington Mystics name Mike Thibault as general manager and head coach

Today, Monumental Sports and Entertainment announced that Mike Thibault has been named General Manager and Head Coach of the Washington Mystics. This comes after a nearly three month search to replace Trudi Lacey, his predecessor.

John Altavilla: Former Sun Head Coach Mike Thibault Has Talked to Washington Mystics

According to a tweet from Hartford Courant writer John Altavilla, former Connecticut Sun head coach Mike Thibault has been in contact with the Washington Mystics in regards to their vacant general manager and/or head coach positions.

Thibault has talked to the #WNBA Washington Mystics about coach/GM job. Mystics would be nuts not to hire someone of his experience #wbb

— John Altavilla (@jaltavilla) December 4, 2012

Should he be hired to the Mystics' front office, this could inject some hope for some fans.

Mike Thibault, assistants fired at Connecticut

The Associated Press reports that Connecticut Sun head coach Mike Thibault and his assistant coaches have been fired.