The New York Liberty may be the reigning WNBA champions, but they dropped their preseason opener to the Connecticut Sun on Friday.
Despite shooting an impressive 56.9% from the field and 47.8% from beyond the arc, the Liberty were plagued by 18 turnovers and were out-rebounded by nine.
Veteran center Tina Charles, who joined the Sun in free agency this offseason, led the charge with 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals. The WNBA spotlighted her performance on its official X account, posting:
“Tina Charles was a presence in the paint to lead the Sun to the preseason win over the Liberty!”
Now 36, Charles began her WNBA career with the Sun as the No. 1 overall pick in 2010. She spent her first four seasons there, earning league MVP honors in 2012 with averages of 18.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.
She was traded to the Liberty in 2014, where she cemented her status as a league star. Over her career, Charles has been selected to eight All-Star Games, won two scoring titles, and earned four All-Defensive team honors.
Connecticut, which fell to the Minnesota Lynx in the semifinals last year, hopes Charles’ addition will help push them to a championship. Last season with the Atlanta Dream, she averaged 14.9 points and 9.6 rebounds while shooting 45.6% from the floor—proof she still has plenty to offer.
