The Connecticut Sun announced on Tuesday that a former UConn women’s basketball star has been promoted to general manager after serving two years as the assistant general manager under Darius Taylor. She joined the Sun in May 2021 as the director of franchise development and took on the assistant GM role in November 2022. A standout player at UConn, she contributed to four consecutive NCAA championships and was chosen third overall in the 2016 WNBA Draft by the Sun. She played with the team until 2019 before being traded to the Seattle Storm, where she helped lead the team to a WNBA championship before retiring at the end of that season.
“I am honored and excited to take on this new role with the Sun,” she said in a statement. “My experiences in various roles within this organization have prepared me for this moment, and I am extremely grateful for the guidance and support I have received from our team and ownership. This is an exciting time for the Sun, and I’m eager to collaborate with our coaching staff, players, and front office to continue our pursuit of a championship. I look forward to this new chapter and the challenges ahead as we strive to maintain a winning culture and create lasting memories for our fans.”
Darius Taylor, who has been the general manager since 2022, will remain in the front office after her promotion. He will take on a new position as chief basketball strategist and director of scouting, where he will provide strategic oversight for expansion drafts, free agency, roster management, and talent scouting.
“I want to recognize the exceptional work that Darius Taylor has done as our general manager over the past two years,” said Sun president Jen Rizzotti in a statement. “Darius is highly respected in our industry, and very few have his level of experience in women’s basketball. This transition will allow Darius to continue leveraging his expertise while working alongside Morgan to shape the long-term direction of our roster and overall basketball operations.”
One of her initial significant responsibilities will likely be hiring a new head coach to succeed Stephanie White, who left to take the head coaching position with the Indiana Fever in early November. Following the 2024 season, six teams made coaching changes, with Connecticut being one of three yet to name a new coach, alongside the Washington Mystics and Dallas Wings. Assistant coach Austin Kelly will also join White’s staff in Indiana. As the Sun prepares for the 2025 season, the roster faces uncertainty, particularly with the upcoming expansion draft for the Golden State Valkyries—the first such draft since 2008. Teams have submitted their protected player lists ahead of Friday’s draft, and the Valkyries will select from the unprotected players, excluding unrestricted free agents who are not eligible for core designation.
Connecticut will likely be able to protect most of its key players but may have to leave one of Veronica Burton, Olivia Nelson-Ododa, or 2024 first-round pick Laila Lacan available for the Valkyries. Additionally, five players will hit unrestricted free agency in 2025, including its All-Star trio of Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, and Brionna Jones. Thomas is the only one eligible for core designation, and Connecticut may face challenges in retaining Jones and Bonner as other teams ramp up their investments in player resources. Additionally, the team traded its 2025 first-round draft pick to the Chicago Sky in July to acquire Marina Mabrey.
At the heart of these changes and challenges is Morgan Tuck, now set to lead the franchise as the new general manager.
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