Nykesha Sales: Unforgettable Years As Connecticut Sun’s Backbone

The former Connecticut Sun star helped build the franchise in its early years.

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The Connecticut Sun is built upon a foundation of some of the most iconic WNBA players in history. Over the years, the franchise has undergone numerous changes in terms of ownership and performance, and now, it’s currently experiencing another bout of difficulties that mirror the past.

If there's any former player who can relate to the struggles that the franchise is grappling with right now, it's Nykesha Sales. She helped build a solid foundation for the franchise that the current players need to maintain. As an imposing player in the WNBA, she helped make the franchise recognizable.

Nykesha Sales' Journey to Connecticut Sun

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Sales' path to professional basketball truly began in college at the University of Connecticut, where her natural talent on the court stood out, while balancing her budding athletic career with academics — a challenge in itself that doesn’t go unnoticed.

During her first year at UConn, the young star was named Big East Rookie of the Year and was the only rookie who landed on the Big East All-Tournament Team. The following year, she was a Kodiak Honorable Mention All-American and was a candidate for the Boost/Naismith National Player of the Year award. It became clear early on in her collegiate journey that she was bound for the professional stage.

A few months after her college graduation in 1998, Sales was named Orlando's inaugural WNBA player when the Orlando Miracle franchise was in its beginning. The Miracle made its debut in 1999, and Sales was undeniably one of the team's greatest assets. During her first season, she scored an average of 13.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, marking the start of a remarkable career.

In 2003, the franchise underwent a groundbreaking transition and found a new home in Connecticut under the ownership of the Mohegan Sun. That winter, the Connecticut Sun was born. Sales remained with the team and went on to represent the Sun at the WNBA All-Star game in July.

This was arguably her best season with Connecticut, as she tallied an average of 16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. In total, she amassed 548 points in 2003 — the most she's ever scored in a single season.

A close second was her 2005 season, in which she posted 532 points and landed an impressive 42.2% three-point percentage. Unsurprisingly, her efforts helped the team reach the WNBA playoffs both years. In fact, 2005 was one of the first seasons that the Sun made it to the Finals.

Sales continued to lead her team up until her last season in 2007. She finished her WNBA career with 3,955 points, 1,157 rebounds and 683 assists. The Connecticut Sun's early years were some of the best, and much of that success was due to their strong foundation of players, particularly Sales, who spent her entire career playing with the franchise.

While Sales is no longer in the WNBA, she remains an integral part of women's basketball. She can now be found at the University of Georgia, where she's been working as the women's assistant basketball coach since 2022, passing along her knowledge of the game and the wisdom she has gained on the court.