NFL
By: Tatum Harding
During her long and successful career in the WNBA, Tina Charles has always had greatness right in front of her; she never had to go looking for it. But in July 2025, on a night that will go down in sports history, Charles made a big step toward becoming a basketball legend. She is only the second player in WNBA history, after the great Diana Taurasi, to score more than 8,000 career points. This is an amazing accomplishment that will be remembered forever.
The center/forward, who is 36 years old, is in her 13th active season and 14th overall. This shows how talented and resilient she is on the court. Charles is having a great season for the Connecticut Sun so far, averaging 15.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game as of the middle of July. She makes 46% of her shots from the field and an amazing 83% of her free throws.
Even when things got tough, she kept up her strong effort. In a packed game at TD Garden against the Indiana Fever, she scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, making her the game’s MVP. Even though the Sun are having a rough first half of the season, this performance kept them in the game.
With an average of 25 minutes of play per game, she really shows how strong and dedicated she is on the court. It shows that her strength and longevity are still as good as ever. Even though Connecticut is struggling this season and is at the bottom of the standings, Charles is still a steady force for them on the court and in the locker room. She always makes room for her teammates, like Marina Mabrey, Jacy Sheldon, and rookie Saniya Rivers, by showing off her inside scoring, mid-range jumpers, and ability to draw double-teams.
After crossing the 8K mark, Charles told the media, “Scoring milestones are great, but I’m more proud of the consistency. Being able to show up, year after year, and help my team in whatever way they need—that’s what matters most.” Each season, what really matters is how she is able to step up and help the team succeed in any way that is needed.
The young Sun team has gone through a lot of changes since last season. At the end of the 24′ season, Alyssa Thomas and four other starters left, making room for new players to join the team. Charles is one of its most important players. She has taken the lead where there was a lack of it.
“You can’t replace experience like that,” coach Rachid Meziane said earlier this season. “Tina leads through example—her voice, her preparation, her poise. Our young players look to her.” The young players get motivation from seeing her on the court.
