UConn coach Geno Auriemma is responding to the Connecticut Sun's confirmed relocation to Houston, saying the move leaves a void in a market that proved it could support women's basketball.
UConn women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma is disappointed that the Connecticut Sun's impending relocation to Houston will leave New England without a WNBA franchise for fans to enjoy.
It's been widely reported that a group led by Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has agreed to purchase the Sun for $300 million and relocate the franchise to Houston beginning in 2027. The sale and relocation are pending approval by the WNBA's Board of Governors. The 2026 season will be the franchise's final one at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, where the Sun have played since 2003.
The news broke during ESPN's broadcast of UConn's Sweet 16 matchup against North Carolina on Friday. The Huskies won 63-42 to advance to their 30th Elite Eight.
"Connecticut deserves to have a team, because we're a proven place where people will support women's basketball," Auriemma told reporters, per the Hartford Courant. "So they're now moving, I think it leaves a void. They had a great fanbase, and it wasn't only UConn fans or fans who only went when UConn players came. They did a great job of establishing their own fanbase, and it was a rabid fanbase that provided a lot of energy and a lot of passion for those teams."
Auriemma's connection to the Sun runs deep. Over four decades leading UConn, he has won 12 national championships and produced 19 players who went on to play for Connecticut, including Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo, WNBA MVP Tina Charles, and two-time WNBA champion Renee Montgomery. The Sun's current president, Jennifer Rizzotti, and general manager, Morgan Tuck, are both former Huskies.
The Hartford Courant notes the deal comes after the WNBA reportedly rejected multiple bids to keep the franchise in New England, including $325 million offers from prospective ownership groups in Boston and Hartford. Houston will not be required to pay a relocation fee to the league as part of the purchase, per ESPN.
The Sun were among the WNBA's most stable franchises for years, becoming the first WNBA team to turn a profit in 2010 and finishing in the top five in attendance from 2018 to 2022. The franchise made eight consecutive playoff appearances from 2017 to 2024. However, a mass exodus of veteran players following the 2024 season led to an 11-33 finish in 2025, the team's worst record since 2013.
The relocated franchise is expected to be rebranded as the Houston Comets, reviving the name of the original team that won the first four WNBA championships from 1997 to 2000.