UConn Coach Laments Loss of WNBA's Connecticut Sun

Geno Auriemma says the Mohegan Sun's decision to sell the franchise and relocate it to Houston leaves a 'void' in Connecticut.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 5:03pm

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UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma expressed disappointment over the pending sale and relocation of the WNBA's Connecticut Sun franchise to Houston. The Sun, which has played at the Mohegan Sun Arena for 23 years, is being acquired by Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta for around $300 million and will rebrand as the Houston Comets starting in 2027.

Why it matters

The Connecticut Sun's move to Houston represents the first WNBA franchise relocation in nearly a decade and a significant loss for women's basketball in the state. Auriemma, a legendary coach who has built the UConn program into a national powerhouse, believes the Mohegan Sun stepped up to bring a WNBA team to Connecticut, which he feels deserves to have a professional women's basketball franchise.

The details

The Connecticut Sun will continue playing at the Mohegan Sun Arena for the 2026 season before relocating to Houston and rebranding as the Houston Comets, reviving the name of the franchise that won four straight WNBA championships from 1997 to 2000 before ceasing operations in 2008. Fertitta's $300 million acquisition bid beat out a $325 million proposal led by Boston-based ownership group Steve Pagliuca, with the WNBA prioritizing Houston as an expansion market.

  • The Connecticut Sun will play their final season in Connecticut during the 2026 WNBA season.
  • The franchise will relocate to Houston and rebrand as the Houston Comets starting in the 2027 WNBA season.

The players

Geno Auriemma

The head coach of the UConn Huskies women's basketball team, who has built the program into a national powerhouse.

Tilman Fertitta

The owner of the Houston Rockets, who is acquiring the Connecticut Sun franchise for around $300 million and plans to relocate and rebrand it as the Houston Comets.

Steve Pagliuca

The leader of a Boston-based ownership group that submitted a $325 million proposal to acquire the Connecticut Sun, which was ultimately rejected by the WNBA in favor of Fertitta's bid.

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What they’re saying

“The people at Mohegan Sun, they stepped up when they were needed & brought a team to Connecticut, as Conn. deserves to have a team b/c we're a proven [place] where people would support women's basketball. Now [with them] moving, I think it leaves a void.”

— Geno Auriemma, Head Coach, UConn Huskies

What’s next

The WNBA's board of governors is expected to ratify the sale and relocation of the Connecticut Sun franchise to Houston, with the team set to begin play as the Houston Comets in the 2027 season.

The takeaway

The loss of the Connecticut Sun is a significant blow to women's basketball in the state, as Geno Auriemma and others have praised the Mohegan Sun's commitment to bringing a WNBA team to Connecticut. However, the relocation to Houston, a priority expansion market for the league, represents a major opportunity for the Comets brand to be revived under new ownership.