Sun’s Thomas to miss rest of season with ACL tear

Connecticut Sun point guard Jasmine Thomas will miss the remainder of the 2022 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee, the team announced Tuesday afternoon.

Thomas, 32, will have reconstructive surgery. No timeline for her recovery has been released.

Thomas went down with a knee injury in the first quarter of the Sun’s game on Sunday at Indiana. After playing the first eight minutes of Connecticut’2 90-72 win, Thomas did not return to the court following the injury.

“Of course, I’m sad that I won’t be able to continue playing on the court with this special team,” Thomas said in the team’s release. “Everyone has been supportive and uplifting, and I’m just preparing mentally and emotionally to attack my recovery. I will continue to be a vocal leader and support my team from the sidelines. They’re incredible and I’m excited about what they’re going to achieve.”

The 12-year WNBA veteran has averaged 2.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 6.6 points in 21.8 minutes per game in the Sun’s first five games of the season.

Before this injury, the 5-foot-9 guard from Duke missed just seven games throughout her entire WNBA career due to playing overseas, family commitments or rest.

Thomas has played for the Sun since 2015, starting in all but one of her 222 games in a Connecticut jersey. She was a 2017 WNBA All-Star and selected to the 2021 WNBA AllDefensive Second Team.

“Saddened and disappointed for Jas,” Sun head coach and general manager Curt Miller said in the release. “She has been the epitome of an iron woman throughout her career. We will support her throughout her recovery and continue to lean on her leadership lens from the sideline. We look forward to having her back on the court in the future.”