The Connecticut Sun might have finished the season with just 11 wins, but the franchise is backing their rookies and first-year coach for their performance. Rachid Meziane gave the Sun a big reason to prove his worth, and GM Morgan Tuck also showed faith in the HC, looking to keep him for another season. In the exclusive interview with SB Nation, Tuck opened up on the season and trades. He also gave flowers to former Sun player Veronica Burton, who won the Most Improved Player award in the 2025 season with the Valkyries.
With the upcoming expansion draft in mind, the Sun GM highlighted how difficult it is for the GMs to keep hold of the established stars, as the Connecticut team let go of multiple players in the 2024 offseason.
GM Morgan Tuck Praises Veronica Burton
For the 2025 season, the Sun cleared most of its roster, keeping only Marina Mabrey from the starting lineup. They lost Burton to the Golden State Valkyries in the expansion draft, as the 25-year-old guard sought to start anew in the league. The transfer worked wonders for both Valkyries and the player as the franchise reached the playoffs in its very first season, while the guard received accolades for her performance.
Talking to SB Nation, the Sun GM Tuck spoke highly about the talented playmaker and accepted that she would have changed the Sun’s fortune had she stayed.
“But, I will say — I’m a firm believer that the fit that you’re in can make or break it. Veronica’s fantastic, right? As a person, as a player, if anyone said anything negative, I would think they’re a liar, because she’s that good. It felt good to see her flourish in the way that she did, because a lot of players don’t get that opportunity. For her to go into a situation that’s brand new — it wasn’t by her choice — and she just took another step in her career. So I’ll always be happy for players like that, because that can make or break someone’s career,” Tuck said in the interview.
Veronica Burton was picked up by the Valkyries in the expansion draft after being waived by Dallas before the 2024 season. pic.twitter.com/RZtyKqauuu
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) September 15, 2025
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He added that having multiple good players is a good ‘problem’. Mentioning that there will be four expansion drafts for five different teams in the next five seasons, the executive explained the difficulty in holding on to the top talents.
Golden State Valkyries Will Protect Veronica Burton Ahead Of Expansion Draft
The upcoming expansion draft will have two new franchises choosing players from the existing franchises. While the Golden State Valkyries are still a year-old team in the league, their performance impressed many, with players like Burton and Kate Martin in high demand.
While Martin remained a player off the bench for the Valkyries, MIP Burton will be the top priority for the Valkyries to protect. But the coach backs her offensive star as Natalie Nakase praised Burton for her Chris Paul-like performance. As per rules, a franchise could protect its six players in the expansion draft, and for the Bay Area team, Burton would be one of those protected players and a key figure in upcoming seasons.