After a Hall of Fame-worthy career, Tina Charles announced her retirement from basketball on Tuesday.
“Fifteen years at the professional level and a lifetime of love for this game. I’ve experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows, and I’m thankful for all of it,” she wrote on social media. “This game gave me everything, and I’ll miss it deeply.”
A native of Queens, New York, Charles attended the legendary Christ The King High School and arrived at UConn in the class of 2006. Over her four years
in Storrs, she helped the Huskies become the first (and only) team to complete back-to-back undefeated campaigns in 2009 and 2010.
As a senior, Charles took home the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy as well as AP and USBWA National Player of the Year honors. She was also a two-time WBCA All-American and a consensus selection in 2010. Charles departed as the program’s all-time leading scorer (2,346 points) and rebounder (1,367). She still holds the latter mark but now ranks fifth on the scoring list.
Charles went No. 1 in the 2010 WNBA Draft to the Connecticut Sun and promptly won the league’s Rookie of the Year award. She went on to spend the next four years with the franchise, capturing MVP honors in 2012.
“From the moment Tina Charles stepped onto the court as the first overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft, she set a standard of excellence that would define not only her career, but our franchise as well,” the Sun said in a statement.
In 2014, Charles joined the New York Liberty and played six seasons with her hometown team. She sat out the 2020 bubble campaign but returned in 2021 to suit up for the Washington Mystics. Charles made the last of her eight All-Star appearances during her year in the nation’s capital.
She split the 2022 campaign between the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm then didn’t play in the WNBA the following year. She rejoined the league in 2024 with the Atlanta Dream and then finished her career in the same place it started, signing with the Connecticut Sun for 2025.
“It has been one of the greatest honors in our organization’s history to have Tina start and end her professional career in a Sun uniform. Her impact on this franchise is immeasurable. From her dominance in the paint to her relentless work ethic, Tina helped shape the identity of the Connecticut Sun and elevated the standard for everyone who wore this jersey alongside her,” the Sun wrote in a statement. “Connecticut will always be home for Tina Charles, and she will forever be part of the foundation on which our franchise stands.”
Charles twice led the league in scoring, earned nine All-WNBA selections and four All-Defensive Team nods. She’s the league’s all-time leading rebounder with 4,262 while her 201 double-doubles also rank first. Charles finished with 8,396 points, second-most all-time behind only Diana Taurasi.
On the international stage, she won three Olympic gold medals with USA Basketball in 2012, 2016 and 2020.
Charles is certain to be inducted into the Women’s Basketball and Naismith Memorial Hall of Fames. Once she’s enshrined in Springfield, her No. 31 will be retired by UConn alongside Rebecca Lobo, Swin Cash, Sue Bird and soon, her former teammate Maya Moore.
