2008 Connecticut Sun season explained

The 2008 WNBA season was their tenth season and their sixth in Connecticut. The Sun successfully advanced to the WNBA Playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. Lindsay Whalen was a key contributor to the club, averaging 14.0 points per game, 5.6 rebounds per game, and 5.4 assists per game.^[1]

Offseason

Expansion draft

The following player was lost in the Atlanta Dream expansion draft:

Erika DeSouza

^[2]

WNBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	School/Team/Country
1	9	Amber Holt	Middle Tennessee
1	12 (from Indiana)	Ketia Swanier	Connecticut
2	23	Jolene Anderson	Wisconsin
3	37	Lauren Ervin	Arkansas

^[3]

Transactions

August 27: The Sun signed Svetlana Abrosimova and waived Jolene Anderson.
June 27: The Sun waived Kamesha Hairston.
May 15: The Sun waived Cori Chambers.
May 7: The Sun waived Jessica Foley, Tracy Gahan and Christina Quaye.
May 6: The Sun waived Meredith Alexis and Natalie Berglin.
April 28: The Sun waived Crystal Erwin, Laura Hall and Jessica Richter.
April 23: The Sun waived Antoinette Upshaw.
March 20: The Sun signed Tracy Gahan to a training camp contract.
March 7: The Sun signed Sandrine Gruda.
March 5: The Sun signed Jessica Foley to a training camp contract.
March 3: The Sun signed Natalie Berglin and Kerri Gardin to training camp contracts.
February 19: The Sun re-signed free agents Lindsay Whalen and Jamie Carey.

^[4]

Date	Trade
February 19, 2008	width=400	To Connecticut Sun	width=400	To Indiana Fever
February 19, 2008	Tamika Whitmore, Jessica Foley, 12th pick in 2008 Draft	Katie Douglas
March 6, 2008	To Connecticut Sun	To Houston Comets
March 6, 2008	Barbara Turner	Megan Mahoney
March 14, 2008	To Connecticut Sun	To Minnesota Lynx
March 14, 2008	Tamika Raymond	Kristen Rasmussen

Free agents

Additions

Player	Signed	Former team
Lindsay Whalen	February 19, 2008	re-signed
Jamie Carey	February 19, 2008	re-signed
Tamika Whitmore	February 19, 2008	Indiana Fever
Kerri Gardin	March 3, 2008	free agent
Barbara Turner	March 6, 2008	Houston Comets
Sandrine Gruda	March 7, 2008	draft pick
Tamika Raymond	March 16, 2008	Minnesota Lynx
Danielle Page	April 16, 2008	undrafted rookie
Svetlana Abrosimova	August 27, 2008	free agent

Subtractions

Player	Left	New team
Margo Dydek	October 4, 2007	free agent
Katie Douglas	February 19, 2008	Indiana Fever
Megan Mahoney	March 6, 2008	Houston Comets
Le'Coe Willingham	March 10, 2008	Phoenix Mercury
Nykesha Sales	March 11, 2008	hiatus
Kristen Rasmussen	March 16, 2008	Minnesota Lynx
Cori Chambers	May 15, 2008	free agent
Kamesha Hairston	June 27, 2008	free agent
Jolene Anderson	August 27, 2008	free agent

Schedule

Preseason

|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 1 || May 1 || @ Minnesota || || L 57-68 || Gardin (8) || Gahan, Gardin, Holt (4) || Carey, Hairston, Turner (2) || Target Center
1,155 || 0-1|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 2 || May 4 || Phoenix || || W 94-66 || Holt (15) || Gahan (10) || Swanier, Berglin (3) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,252 || 1-1|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 3 || May 9 || Houston || || W 88-80 || Whalen (18) || Anderson (7) || Whalen (8) || Mohegan Sun Arena
4,411 || 2-1|-

Regular season

|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 1 || May 17 || Atlanta || CSS || W 100-67 || Whitmore (22) || Whitmore (10) || Whalen (8) || Mohegan Sun Arena
7,420 || 1-0|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 2 || May 18 || @ New York || WCTX
NBA TV|| W 77-63 || Whitmore (17) || Whalen, Raymond (6) || Whalen (8) || Madison Square Garden
10,460 || 2-0|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 3 || May 24 || Sacramento || || W 87-64 || Whalen (21) || Holt (7) || Whalen, Whitmore (5) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,402 || 3-0|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 4 || May 27 || Indiana || ESPN2 || L 46-75 || Whalen (11) || Jones (7) || Whalen (5) || Mohegan Sun Arena
5,245 || 3-1|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 5 || May 30 || New York || MSG
NBA TV || W 89-84 || Whitmore (18) || Whalen (6) || Whalen (7) || Mohegan Sun Arena
7,052 || 4-1|-|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 6 || June 1 || @ Chicago || || W 75-73 || Whalen, Whitmore (19) || Whalen (7) || Whalen (7) || UIC Pavilion
2,276 || 5-1|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 7 || June 6 || Minnesota || || W 78-77 || Jones (25) || Whalen (9) || Anderson, Gardin (5) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,327 || 6-1|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 8 || June 8 || Washington || WCTX
NBA TV || W 87-79 || Jones (16) || Whalen (7) || Whalen (7) || Mohegan Sun Arena
7,174 || 7-1|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 9 || June 10 || @ Minnesota || ESPN2 || W 75-66 || Jones (18) || Whitmore (12) || Whalen (6) || Target Center
7,186 || 8-1|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 10 || June 13 || @ Los Angeles || || L 93-98 (OT) || Whalen (20) || Whalen (7) || Jones (3) || STAPLES Center
8,702 || 8-2|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 11 || June 16 || @ Seattle || WCTX
NBA TV || W 74-67 || Jones (15) || Raymond (9) || Whitmore (4) || KeyArena
6,872 || 9-2|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 12 || June 18 || @ Phoenix || || L 81-102 || Jones (18) || Turner (5) || Whalen (5) || US Airways Center
4,478 || 9-3|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 13 || June 20 || @ Sacramento || || W 72-56 || Jones (14) || Whalen, Anderson (6) || Whalen (5) || ARCO Arena
5,895 || 10-3|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 14 || June 24 || Detroit || WCTX
NBA TV || W 85-68 || Jones (20) || Holt (8) || Whalen (6) || Mohegan Sun Arena
7,501 || 11-3|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 15 || June 26 || @ Detroit || FSN-D || L 61-70 || Jones (14) || Jones (7) || Whalen (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena
7,501 || 11-4|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 16 || June 27 || Atlanta || || W 109-101 (OT) || Jones (30) || Jones, Whalen (10) || Holt (8) || Mohegan Sun Arena
7,612 || 12-4|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 17 || June 29 || Phoenix || || L 80-87 || Jones (16) || Jones (9) || Whalen (8) || Mohegan Sun Arena
9,518 (sellout) || 12-5|-|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 18 || July 1 || Houston || || W 78-68 || Jones (15) || Turner (9) || Whalen (9) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,357 || 13-5|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 19 || July 5 || @ Indiana || FSN-I
NBA TV || L 74-81 || Jones (20) || Gardin (9) || Jones, Whalen (3) || Conseco Fieldhouse
6,329 || 13-6|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 20 || July 8 || @ Detroit || FSN-D || L 82-88 || Jones (21) || Whalen (7) || Jones, Whalen (8) || Palace of Auburn Hills
7,623 || 13-7|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 21 || July 13 || @ Washington || ABC || L 64-69 || Whalen (33) || Whalen (8) || Jones, Whalen (6) || Verizon Center
9,610 || 13-8|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 22 || July 15 || New York || ESPN2 || L 71-77 || Whalen (19) || Jones (9) || Jones (5) || Mohegan Sun Arena
8,244 || 13-9|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 23 || July 18 || @ Chicago || WCTX
NBA TV || L 65-73 || Jones (18) || Gruda (11) || Jones, Swanier (3) || UIC Pavilion
3,379 || 13-10|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 24 || July 20 || Chicago || || W 74-67 || Jones (23) || Jones (10) || Whalen (6) || Mohegan Sun Arena
7,367 || 14-10|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 25 || July 24 || Los Angeles || WCTX
NBA TV || W 87-61 || Whalen (22) || Jones (8) || Whalen (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena
9,518 (sellout) || 15-10|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 26 || July 27 || @ Washington || CSN-MA
NBA TV || W 82-60 || Jones (27) || Whalen (8) || Whalen (7) || Verizon Center
9,357 || 16-10|-|-| colspan="10" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;"| Summer Olympic break|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 27 || August 28 || @ Indiana || FSN-I
NBA TV || W 84-58 || Whitmore (15) || Turner, Raymond (5) || Gruda, Jones (4) || Conseco Fieldhouse
6,435 || 17-10|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 28 || August 29 || @ Atlanta || || W 98-72 || Whitmore (27) || Whitmore (6) || Whalen (8) || Philips Arena
11,442 (sellout) || 18-10|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 29 || August 31 || Seattle || ABC || W 80-76 || Jones (20) || Holt (5) || Gardin (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena
9,518 (sellout) || 19-10|-|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 30 || September 5 || Chicago || || W 80-75 || Whitmore (17) || Jones (6) || Whalen (6) || Mohegan Sun Arena
8,088 || 20-10|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 31 || September 7 || San Antonio || ABC || L 73-85 || Jones (22) || Jones (9) || Abrosimova (6) || Mohegan Sun Arena
7,956 || 20-11|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 32 || September 9 || @ Houston || WCTX || L 68-75 || Jones (22) || Whalen (8) || Whalen (5) || Reliant Arena
5,769 || 20-12|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 33 || September 11 || @ San Antonio || || L 74-78 || Jones (18) || Gardin (14) || Carey (7) || AT&T Center
6,791 || 20-13|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 34 || September 13 || Washington || WCTX
NBA TV || W 87-81 || Phillips (18) || Phillips (8) || Gruda, Swanier (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena
8,652 || 21-13|-

Playoffs

In the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, the Sun had to face the New York Liberty. Since the Sun had the better record, the series would be played with game 1 at New York, game 2 at Connecticut, and game 3 (if needed) at Connecticut. The Liberty won the first game, but the Sun won the second to force a game three. The Sun were upset on their home floor by the Liberty and were eliminated from the playoffs.

For the sixth consecutive season, the Sun advance to the playoffs.
For the second consecutive season, the Sun do not advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 1 || September 18 || @ New York || MSG
NBA TV || L 63-72 || Whitmore (16) || Jones, Whitmore (6) || Whalen (6) || Madison Square Garden
7,649 || 0-1|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;"| 2 || September 20 || New York || MSG
NBA TV || W 73-70 || Jones (16) || Whitmore (6) || Whalen (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena
7,234 || 1-1|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"| 3 || September 22 || New York || ESPN2 || L 62-66 || Whalen (19) || Jones (11) || Whitmore (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,011 || 1-2|-

Depth

Pos.	Starter	Bench	Inactive
C	Tamika Whitmore		Danielle Page
PF	Asjha Jones
SF	Kerri Gardin	Barbara Turner --
SG	Svetlana Abrosimova		Ketia Swanier
PG	Lindsay Whalen

Regular Season statistics

Player statistics

GP	GS	MPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
6	0	17.8	3.3	2.0	1.33	0.00	5.7
24	7	15.3	2.4	1.1	0.29	0.04	4.0
33	3	15.1	1.2	1.4	0.24	0.03	4.2
34	15	15.9	3.3	1.2	0.85	0.21	4.0
31	1	15.4	3.5	0.9	0.61	0.84	6.2
34	34	21.0	3.1	1.9	0.44	0.15	6.5
33	33	29.2	6.1	2.5	0.61	0.79	17.0
3	0	4.0	2.0	0.0	0.00	0.00	2.0
8	0	10.8	2.1	0.4	0.50	0.13	5.1
34	1	11.0	2.9	0.4	0.29	0.03	2.5
25	6	9.2	1.2	1.0	0.56	0.04	1.6
34	6	19.5	3.2	1.5	0.35	0.41	8.0
31	31	29.3	5.6	5.4	1.45	0.03	14.0
34	33	26.8	4.7	1.4	0.59	0.38	12.6

Team statistics

Team	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PF	PPG
Connecticut Sun	.422	.330	.746	36.4	17.9	6.2	2.8	14.3	18.5	79.1
Opponents	.418	.321	.740	35.3	16.3	7.4	3.1	14.7	20.7	74.7

Team Ranking

This table shows how the Sun rank compared to the other teams in the league (14 total teams):

Playoffs statistics

Player statistics

GP	GS	MPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
3	2	21.0	3.7	1.3	1.33	0.00	8.0
1	0	00.0	0.0	0.0	0.00	0.00	0.0
3	3	19.0	2.3	1.0	1.67	0.33	3.7
3	0	8.7	1.3	0.3	0.33	0.00	2.7
3	1	18.3	4.0	1.3	0.33	0.00	3.7
3	3	32.3	7.3	1.3	0.67	0.33	15.0
0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.00	0.00	0.0
3	0	12.0	0.7	1.7	1.00	0.33	3.0
3	0	9.3	2.3	0.3	0.33	0.33	1.3
0	0	00.0	0.0	0.0	0.00	0.00	0.0
3	0	19.0	3.3	0.3	0.00	0.33	5.3
3	3	30.0	4.7	4.0	1.33	0.00	13.3
3	3	29.0	4.7	2.0	1.33	0.00	10.0

Team statistics

Team	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PF	PPG
Connecticut Sun	.360	.218	.800	34.3	13.7	7.3	1.7	12.3	15.7	63.0
New York Liberty	.448	.433	.606	33.7	16.3	6.7	5.0	18.7	18.7	69.3

Awards and honors

Head coach Mike Thibault was named 2008 WNBA Coach of the Year.
Lindsay Whalen was named to the All-WNBA First Team.
Asjha Jones was named to the All-WNBA Second Team.
Amber Holt was named to the All-Rookie Team.
Lindsay Whalen was given the Peak Performer award (for assists) for leading the league in assists per game (5.4).
Lindsay Whalen was the second player in WNBA history to average at least 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game for the season. Only Nikki Teasley has previously accomplished this feat.
Lindsay Whalen was named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the week of May 27, 2008.
Asjha Jones was named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the week of June 30, 2008.
Lindsay Whalen was named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the week of July 14, 2008.
Asjha Jones was named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the week of July 28, 2008.

^[5]

Attendance

A sellout for a basketball game at Mohegan Sun Arena is 9,518.

Regular Season Attendance!width=75
Year	width=150	Average: Home	width=150	Average: Away	width=100	High	width=100	Low	width=75	Sellouts	width=150	Total for Year	width=150	WNBA Game Average
2008	7,644 (11th)	7,132 (14th)	9,518	5,245	3	129,951	7,948

Notes and References

Sports Illustrated, October 6, 2008, Inside the WNBA, p.80
Web site: WNBA.com: Atlanta Dream . 2008-04-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090820061552/http://www.wnba.com/dream/expansiondraft_080206.html . 2009-08-20 . dead .
http://www.wnba.com/draft2008/draft_board.html WNBA.com: 2008 WNBA Draft Board
http://www.wnba.com/transactions/WNBA_2008.html WNBA.com: 2008 WNBA Transactions
Web site: Players of the Week - WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA . Wnba.com . 2022-09-04.