Give DeWanna Bonner an inch and find out the hard way that she will take a mile. Showing absolutely no hesitation from long distance, the Connecticut Sun forward lulls her still-unset defender into a false sense of security before calmly pulling up from 31 feet and burying a difficult triple. Bonner had it going from deep early, connecting on all four of her three-pointers in the first quarter, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal in a 97-90 road win over the Las Vegas Aces on June 2, 2022.

DeWanna Bonner

DeWanna Bonner calmly buries triple from well-beyond three-point line

When you find yourself this wide open, a double take is required just to confirm the good fortune. As a 40 percent career shooter from behind the arc, Natisha Hiedeman rarely gets a look this clean, and down 2-0 in the WNBA Finals to the Las Vegas Aces, it couldn’t have come at a better time. Following a miss down low by a Connecticut Sun teammate, the play is kept alive thanks to sheer hustle in crashing the offensive glass. When the ball swings back out to an all-alone Hiedeman at the top of the key, the Sun guard hesitates for a moment, taking an extra second to line up the shot before burying it to give her squad a 12-point fourth quarter cushion. Hiedeman connected on all three of her triples en route to 14 points, three rebounds and nine assists in helping the Sun avoid elimination in the 105-76 Game 3 triumph on September 15, 2022. 

Natisha Hiedeman

Natisha Hiedeman queues up and delivers with three in 2022 Finals

On a night where she got to the foul line a season-high 14 times, Marina Mabrey was hunting contact. The Chicago Sky guard showcased a smooth low-post presence against the Dallas Wings when she took a dump-off in the paint that instantly turned into an and-1 turnaround jumper. Mabrey made 13 free throws in the contest while also connecting on 8 of her 14 field goals for a game-high 32 points and grabbing five rebounds in Chicago’s 104-96 triumph on August 6, 2023.

Marina Mabrey

Marina Mabrey toys with smaller defender after tough hoop

Now in her 15th WNBA season, Candace Parker is still able to impress with her do-it-all ability. The Chicago Sky legend showcases her skills on both ends, snatching a defensive rebound before leading her team up the court in transition. Despite being chased by defenders from all angles, Parker maintains her handle from foul line to foul line before depositing a no-look pass to a teammate streaking to her left, who finishes with an easy layup. The Connecticut Sun had no answers for Parker’s multi-faceted attack, stuffing the stat sheet with a team-high 25 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, four blocks and four three-pointers in a 91-83 victory on June 29, 2022.

Candace Parker

Candace Parker battles for board, slaloms through defense for dime in transition

There's no energy quite like the kind that comes from Opening Night, the first game of the season. Fired up and anxious to defend her crown as the 2021 WNBA MVP, Connecticut Sun forward Jonquel Jones wastes little time making impact plays, stealthily rotating over to time up an emphatic block and sending it in the opposite direction. The two-way superstar racked up 15 points, seven rebounds, two three-pointers, two steals, and two blocks in a matchup with the New York Liberty on May 7, 2022.

Jonquel Jones

Jonquel Jones emerges from help-side to swat layup out of bounds

With her hot-shooting Chicago Sky teammates combining for 14 3-pointers, Elizabeth Williams was more than happy to do the dirty work. The nine-year veteran put her flawless defensive anticipation on display against the Dallas Wings as she thwarted Arike Ogunbowale’s driving layup attempt by sliding over from the low block to land an authoritative rejection that careened out of bounds. Williams made her only field-goal attempt for two points while also posting three rebounds, five assists and two blocks in Chicago’s 104-89 victory on August 4, 2023.

Elizabeth Williams

Elizabeth Williams rejects drive attempt out of bounds

In her eighth WNBA season, Courtney Williams found herself in unfamiliar territory. Coming off a season-high in points that snapped a six-game Chicago Sky losing streak, Williams one-upped herself against the Los Angeles Sparks with her first career triple-double. Always looking to pick up her teammates, the unselfish Sky guard drew the defense in on a strong drive to the basket before kicking it out to Alanna Smith for a wide open corner 3-pointer. The Sky made it two straight wins against the Sparks behind Williams’ 12 points, 11 rebounds and career-best 13 assists in a 86-78 triumph on June 30, 2023. 

Courtney Williams

Courtney Williams does it all in first career triple-double

Perennially one of the WNBA’s best perimeter defenders, few players bring the energy to the extent that Connecticut Sun guard Jasmine Thomas does. With her choice of a pick-and-roll on either side, Thomas shows off her speed, attacking the right side of the rim for an and-one on a circus flip shot. The former All-Star opened the season with a bang in a matchup with New York Liberty, finishing with 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and one block on May 7, 2022.

Jasmine Thomas

Jasmine Thomas drives through contact for bucket and foul

Of all the attributes Brionna Jones has in her bag of tricks, her timing may be the crown jewel. The Connecticut Sun forward saved her team from double overtime thanks to exceptional help defense, dropping into the lane to cover for a fallen-down teammate and swatting an opponent’s shot at the rim 1.9 seconds before the buzzer. The two-time All-Star’s second rejection of the game — along with four rebounds and three steals — preserved a 74-72 overtime win over the Washington Mystics on July 3, 2022.

Brionna Jones

Brionna Jones seals win over Mystics with game-saving rejection

It’s not about how you start, it’s how you finish. Chicago Sky reserve guard Dana Evans was held scoreless in the first half in an early season contest against the Indiana Fever, but proved the axiom true down the stretch. After draining a 3-pointer on the previous possession to give her squad a five-point overtime lead, Evans put the game on ice when she converted a difficult runner in the lane with 26 seconds remaining. She scored all 20 of her points in the second half and overtime and also mixed in two rebounds, seven assists and three steals in the exciting 108-103 triumph on June 6, 2023. 

Dana Evans

Dana Evans seals OT victory over Fever with late-game heroics

As the WNBA’s assist-per-game leader in every season from 2017 to 2021, there isn’t a defensive puzzle Courtney Vandersloot can’t piece together. Working in-sync with All-Star teammate Candace Parker, the Chicago Sky guard works a dribble handoff into a pick-and-pop, taking two New York Liberty defenders with her before using a behind-the-back dime to set up a score. The dime, part of an eight-point, six-rebound, six-assist performance, helped the Sky on the way to a 83-50 victory on May 11, 2022.

Courtney Vandersloot

Courtney Vandersloot draws defense out of position to set up behind-back kickout

DeWanna Bonner’s 14th WNBA season has turned into one of her best. After helping guide her Connecticut Sun to an appearance in the WNBA Finals in 2022, the five-time All-Star has returned even stronger a year later. With the host Seattle Storm hanging within striking distance in the game’s final minute, Bonner left little to doubt as she buried a dagger 3-pointer over Jordan Horston with 26 seconds remaining. Bonner tallied 20 points, six rebounds and three assists in the 85-79 win on June 20, 2023, moving into 10th place on the league’s all-time scoring list in the process.

DeWanna Bonner seals tight victory with dagger three

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DeWanna Bonner

Natisha Hiedeman

Marina Mabrey

Candace Parker

Jonquel Jones

Elizabeth Williams

Courtney Williams

Jasmine Thomas

Brionna Jones

Dana Evans

Courtney Vandersloot

DeWanna Bonner