The WNBA regular season is entering its final stretch, with playoff contenders sharpening their form while teams like the Dallas Wings, Chicago Sky, and Connecticut Sun have already seen their postseason hopes fade. Yet even outside the playoff race, history is waiting to be written.
For Connecticut, a late push has at least lifted the franchise off the league’s bottom rung. Winning five of the last nine contests, the Sun have climbed from 13th to 11th place. At the heart of that resurgence has been veteran center Tina Charles, who at age 36 is delivering one of the most memorable campaigns of her career.
A Veteran’s Resurgence
Back with Connecticut for the first time since 2013, Charles has shown little sign of slowing down in her 14th season. She is averaging 16.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game, numbers that underscore both her consistency and her ability to impact games well beyond the box score.
That consistency has carried her steadily up the league’s all-time leaderboards. Now, on the eve of another matchup with the Chicago Sky, Charles sits on the brink of surpassing one of the most celebrated players in women’s basketball history.
Closing In on a Legend
Diana Taurasi, widely considered the face of the WNBA for two decades, holds the career record for field goals made at 3,341. Charles enters the night with 3,339. Given her average of six makes per game this season—and only three nights with a single field goal—odds are overwhelmingly in her favor.
Should she accomplish it, Charles will claim the title of all-time leader in field goals made, overtaking Taurasi while having played 95 fewer games.
Context Beyond the Numbers
The scoring crown itself is still well out of reach; Charles remains 2,312 points shy of Taurasi’s record for most career points. Still, this milestone speaks volumes about her efficiency, endurance, and impact on the sport.
In a season where Connecticut has fought to claw out of the basement, Tina Charles’ pursuit of history offers a shining reminder: even when championships are off the table, greatness has its own stage.
