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UNCASVILLE — On the morning of Game 2 in the 2023 WNBA Semifinals series between the Connecticut Sun and the New York Liberty, Breanna Stewart was crowned league MVP for the second time in her career.
Stewart learned the news at the Liberty’s pregame shootaround, embraced by her teammates as she tearfully watched a video on the Jumbotron at Barclays Center in Brooklyn chronicling her first season with New York.
There would be no such celebration for the Sun locker room when they learned Alyssa Thomas had not received the league’s highest honor despite setting a WNBA record with six triple-doubles in 2023. The superstar forward averaged 15.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 7.9 assists — all career highs — and became the first player in league history to log more than 600 points, 300 rebounds and 300 assists in a single season.
For Thomas, the disappointment was particularly stinging because it felt so familiar. Connecticut went on to lose 84-77 in Game 2 and was eliminated by the Liberty in a 3-1 series.
“I think I’m used to it. I think I’ve been snubbed so many times in my career that it’s a normal feeling for me,” Thomas said with a slight smile and a shake of her head after the Game 2 loss. “It is what it is. We keep going.”
Last season’s MVP race was one of the closest ever between Thomas, Stewart and Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson. Thomas didn’t even lose the award outright: She received more first-place votes (23) than either Stewart (20) or Wilson (17) but finished second in the final tally because of Stewart’s 23 second-place votes to her 12.
Wilson went on to win WNBA Finals MVP after leading the Aces to back-to-back titles, and she was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 for the second consecutive season. Both years, Thomas was her runner up.
Thomas has spent her entire career with the Sun since she was drafted No. 4 overall in 2014, and the team has reached at least the second round of the WNBA Playoffs every year since her first All-Star season in 2017. Through two coaching changes and a revolving door of starters over 11 years, Thomas has anchored one of the league’s most consistent teams with only a single All-WNBA first team selection to show for it.
“I think a lot of people think (2023) was a fluke. They think that it’s a season I can’t repeat or something that was lucky,” Thomas said. “But that’s been my game my whole entire life, and I plan on continuing to push the limits and do it my way.”
Connecticut’s franchise culture is personified by the chip on Thomas’s shoulder, and second-year head coach Stephanie White knows the Sun’s path to an elusive first WNBA championship runs through its unsung star.
“She’s someone who has such a high basketball IQ. She’s got a great understanding. She understands people’s tendencies and strengths and weaknesses,” White said. “Being able to bounce things off of her, being able to challenge her to help us get to another level … I think it’s now how can she elevate everybody else around her?”
In an era when super teams and flashy young talent are dominating the narratives in the WNBA, Connecticut has taken an opposite strategy to team construction. The Sun are entering their fifth season with the same front court core of Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones, and there won’t be a single true rookie on the initial 2024 roster.
“(Veterans) that are undervalued have a chip on their shoulder. They want to win. Basketball is No. 1 outside of their families,” general manager Darius Taylor said. “We always take a look at that, because we understand we’re in a smaller market, so some of the free agents we went after get wooed away to a bigger market … I think from a culture standpoint, this a gritty team that’s always going to play hard, that teams hate playing against.”
Connecticut’s offseason signings weren’t high profile, but all aligned perfectly with the scrappiness that defines the squad. Tiffany Mitchell spent most of 2023 playing out of position for an injury-riddled Minnesota Lynx team and never hit her stride after seven previous seasons with the Indiana Fever. Rachel Banham came from the Lynx as a free agent to rejoin the team that drafted her with the No. 4 pick in 2017. Astou Ndour-Fall has been out of the WNBA since 2021 playing overseas, and Moriah Jefferson was traded by the Mercury despite rebounding from years of battling injuries with the most complete season of her career in 2023.
“They’re all players that have been underestimated in this league,” Thomas said. “I think that’s the kind of players we get in Connecticut — I don’t want to say castaways, but I don’t think people understand how to use their talents. When they come here, we bring the best out of them.”
Bringing out the best in them starts with White, who is ramping up the creativity and complexity of her position-less offense in her second season. Thomas has played a fundamental role in shaping the system as one of the most versatile, cerebral forwards in the league.
“We see things at the same level, and I think we have that capability just to bounce ideas off each other,” Thomas said. “She’ll come to me and ask like ‘We want a back door play, what are you thinking?’ I’ll process and tell her, and we’ll go with it. Her bringing in this offense has just allowed me to be me and play my game … It gives me a lot more freedom.”
Banham was drafted two years after Thomas and played the first four years of her career with the Sun. When Banham returned to Connecticut as a veteran, she said Thomas hasn’t changed a bit: The star forward is simply an elevated version of the player she has been since the beginning.
“She’s pretty much the exact same. More mature obviously because she’s older, but otherwise she’s the exact same player and exact same person,” Banham said. “She motivates you to go even harder because she’s playing so hard. She pushes the pace, she gets deflections. She just makes you want to do more.”
Connecticut faces an immediate referendum on its old-school approach in its season opener against the Indiana Fever and No.1 draft pick Caitlin Clark on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun. All five of the Sun’s preseason starters have at least three seasons of experience, which stands in stark contrast to their first opponent. Headlined by the rookie Clark, Indiana’s only starter with more than two years in the league is Katie Lou Samuelson, the former UConn standout, in her first season with the franchise.
The Sun are betting favorites to beat the Fever at -5.5, but the pomp coming to their home court on Tuesday is largely centered around their opponent. ESPN is planning a broadcast at the same scale as the WNBA Finals to chronicle Clark’s first professional game, complete with a WNBA Countdown pregame show and streaming for the first time ever on Disney+.
The story has been the same in Connecticut for as long as White can remember over more than two decades in the league as a player, coach and broadcaster.
“It’s been since I was covering them working in television. There’s always this caution of whether this team is as legit as they were a year ago,” White said. “It was the same way back in 2004 and 2005, and I’m not sure why that is … but I think that’s what allows our team to be successful. They thrive on proving everybody wrong. The edge we play with and the competitiveness allows us to win ball games.”
While the Sun have no real reason to feel like underdogs against a Fever team that went 13-27 last season, Thomas has no trouble finding motivation in the perceived disrespect.
“It’s Connecticut. I feel like every year people underestimate us,” Thomas said with a chuckle. “We have three All-Stars, and yet people don’t pick us to finish in the playoffs. It’s funny to me, but nothing changes for us. We keep the same mentality, and that’s to come in every day and outwork everyone.”
Luxury Homes
Former “Today” show host Kathie Lee Gifford is selling her sprawling 13,163-square-foot Connecticut home. The asking price? $100,000,000.
Dubbed “Cedar Cliff,” the Greenwich estate at 108 Cedar Cliff in the Riverside section of town, was once owned by railroad tycoon Henry F. Shoemaker. Kathie Lee Gifford and her late husband, football legend Frank Gifford, purchased the house in 1994 for $7.8 million . The 13,163-square-foot, 29-room estate has eight bedrooms and 14 bathrooms (nine full, five half).


“They added a substantial addition to the house to make it work for their lifestyle,” listing agent Leslie McElwreath of Sotheby’s International Realty said. That addition is the east wing of the house, constructed in the early 2000s, which includes a private theater and wine cellar.
The eight bedrooms are similarly sized and have views of Greenwich Cove. The primary bedroom and two guest bedrooms have a balcony as well. The estate has a greenhouse, a screened porch, a sun room, a tennis court, and a billiards room currently containing Frank Gifford memorabilia. There are 10 fireplaces throughout the house.
Within the 2.91-acre gated peninsula is a spa, pool, and pool house.
McElwreath said “empty nester” Gifford is selling the property because “her children are grown and are married with their own children. Kathie Lee spends most of her time in Tennessee and is no longer using the house full-time.”
The house has a recently installed Ludowici terra cotta roof, sun decks that have been rebuilt, and there is access to a full-property generator as well as a private beach.
McElwreath said there are additional aspects that make this property worth the monstrous price tag.
“The setting is extraordinary. Elevated high above the water with over 1,250 feet of frontage, the property offers the rare combination of commanding panoramic views and direct waterfront access via a private pier and deep water dock,” she said.
McElwreath said the kind of buyer looking at this property is attracted to Greenwich for its high quality of life and proximity to Midtown Manhattan.


”High net-worth buyers do not compromise. They seek exceptional properties in prime locations. Cedar Cliff is a one-of-a-kind opportunity and will attract buyers looking for privacy and resort-like amenities,” McElwreath said.
The task of selling the estate was entrusted to McElwreath by Gifford after McElwreath represented the seller of Copper Beech Farm in Greenwich, which sold for just under $139,000,000 in 2023.
“[Copper Beach] is still the highest sale ever in Greenwich and the state of Connecticut. I plan to use the full resources of Sotheby’s International Realty to find the buyer for Cedar Cliff,” McElwreath said. “I also represented the seller of 100 Field Point Circle, the second highest sale in Greenwich at $50 million. My proven track record, combined with the marketing expertise of Sotheby’s, will prove to be a winning combination.”
Our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design, with expert advice and insider neighborhood knowledge.
Hailey Van Lith’s rocky WNBA start took another unexpected turn Thursday.
The Connecticut Sun waived Van Lith after just nine games with the team, including three starts.
CHICAGO, IL – AUGUST 25: Hailey Van Lith #2 of the Chicago Sky high five during the game against the Las Vegas Aces on August 25, 2025 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) ((Photo by Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images))
TCU’s Hailey Van Lith poses before the WNBA basketball draft in New York on April 14, 2025. (Pamela Smith/AP)
Van Lith was once one of college basketball’s brightest stars at Louisville, but her path has become increasingly turbulent in recent years. After a disappointing stint at LSU stalled her momentum, Van Lith revived her draft stock with a standout final season at TCU.
CHICAGO SKY WAIVE HAILEY VAN LITH ONE YEAR AFTER SELECTING HER WITH THE 11TH OVERALL PICK
The former NIL standout was selected 11th overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She struggled to establish herself as a rookie, averaging 3.5 points and 1.6 assists in 12.4 minutes per game across 29 appearances before Chicago waived her on May 4.
Hailey Van Lith’s brief stint with the Connecticut Sun ended Thursday after the franchise waived the former first-round pick. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images) ((Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images))
Hailey van Lith drives past opponents during the women’s 3×3 basketball bronze medal game between the United States and Canada at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
TCU’s Hailey Van Lith jogs onto the court during introductions before the first half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament game against Louisville in Fort Worth, Texas, on March 23, 2025. (Tony Gutierrez/AP)
Van Lith also helped Team USA win a bronze medal in 3×3 basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Connecticut quickly gave Van Lith a second chance, but the reunion lasted just over two weeks.
“The Connecticut Sun has activated Leïla Lacan,” the team announced on X. “In a corresponding move, Hailey Van Lith has been waived.”
EX-WNBA STAR CRITICAL OF SKY ROOKIE HAILEY VAN LITH, BELIEVES POPULARITY PLAYED ROLE IN DRAFT SELECTION
The move comes as Lacan — the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 draft — returns after averaging 10.4 points and 3.7 assists with Connecticut last season.
Van Lith appeared in Wednesday’s 71-61 loss to Portland, finishing with seven points, no assists and two turnovers in 13 minutes.
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Van Lith averaged 8.1 points and 2.2 assists in nine appearances with Connecticut before Thursday’s move, marking her second waiver in less than a month.
The Connecticut Sun waived Hailey Van Lith on Thursday, ending the former college star’s nine-game stint with the franchise. ((Photo by Mollie Handkins/NBAE via Getty Images))
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The following article was submitted by Brody and Associates, LLC. It is posted here with permission.
The Connecticut legislature passed broad artificial intelligence legislation May 11, 2026 that includes a new framework governing the use of AI in employment-related decisions.
The bill, known as SB 5, is awaiting Gov. Ned Lamont’s signature, which is expected shortly.
Once enacted, Connecticut will join a growing list of jurisdictions that are imposing transparency and accountability requirements on employers that use AI tools in recruiting, hiring, promotion, discipline, scheduling, and termination decisions.
The statute regulates what it calls automated employment-related decision technology.
In general, AEDT refers to technology that processes personal data and generates an output that is a substantial factor in an employment decision.
The definition is broad enough to potentially cover resume-screening software, applicant ranking systems, video-interview analytics, skills assessments, productivity tools, and certain workforce management platforms when those tools materially influence personnel decisions.
The purpose of the law is to reduce the risk that algorithmic systems will continue or worsen historic discrimination while also giving applicants and employees more visibility into how these systems are used.
One of the most important features of the new law is its notice requirement.
Beginning Oct. 1, 2027, employers that deploy AEDT intended to interact with applicants or employees must disclose, in plain language, that the individual is interacting with such technology unless it would be obvious to a reasonable person.
When the tool’s output will be used as a substantial factor in making an employment-related decision, the employer must also provide a written notice before the decision is made.
The law does include protection for proprietary or trade secret information.
Notice must identify the purpose of the tool, the categories and sources of personal data being analyzed, how data will be assessed, and contact information for the employer.
If such employment-related decision is “adverse,” employers must provide a high-level statement disclosing the principal reasons for the decision, including “the degree to which, and manner in which” an AEDP output contributed to the decision, the type of data used, and the right to examine or correct such data.
The law does include protection for proprietary or trade secret information, but employers should not assume that vendor confidentiality excuses them from compliance.
If an employer withholds certain information regarding the AEDP based on a third party’s confidentiality claim, the employer must nevertheless disclose that the information is being withheld and identify the legal basis for the withholding.
As a practical matter, this means employers that rely on outside vendors for screening, testing, or candidate evaluation should begin reviewing vendor contracts now to ensure they can obtain the information needed to satisfy Connecticut’s notice obligations.
The law also makes clear employers cannot avoid liability by blaming an algorithm.
Connecticut’s anti-discrimination framework will expressly provide the use of AI or automated systems is not a defense to a discrimination claim.
The employer may still be responsible even if the challenged output came from a third-party platform.
In other words, if an AEDT disproportionately screens out candidates or influences decisions in a way that has an unlawful discriminatory effect, the employer may still be responsible even if the challenged output came from a third-party platform.
This provision reinforces a principle regulators have increasingly emphasized nationwide: employers remain accountable for employment decisions, whether those decisions are made by people, software, or a combination of both.
For employers, the immediate takeaway is AI governance can no longer be treated as an IT issue.
Human resources, legal, compliance, and procurement teams should collaborate to identify all tools used in recruiting or personnel management, assess whether those tools materially affect employment decisions, and determine what disclosures this new law may require.
Even companies that already use AI responsibly may need to formalize review procedures.
Employers should also assess whether internal policies, vendor agreements, and recordkeeping practices are sufficient to support compliance.
Even companies that already use AI responsibly may need to formalize review procedures, conduct bias testing, and create documentation explaining how automated outputs are considered by human decision-makers.
Connecticut’s new law reflects a broader regulatory trend: employers may continue using AI, but they must do so transparently, carefully, and with meaningful human accountability.
About the authors: Robert Brody is managing partner at Brody and Associates, LLC, which he founded in 1997. Matthew Chiota is a law clerk at Brody and Associates, awaiting admission to the Connecticut and New York Bar associations. Contact them at [email protected] or 203.454.0560.
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