The signature shot of Tiffany Hayes’ career sunk the Connecticut Sun, when, in 2018, Hayes drilled an improbable game-winner — the longest shot in WNBA history — to steal a win for her Atlanta Dream.
Now, the hope is that Hayes will provide such heroics for the Sun.
On Feb. 9, Connecticut sent the sixth pick in the 2023 draft to Atlanta in exchange for Hayes, who entered the offseason on a suspended contract due to missing the final two games of the Dream’s 2022 season because of overseas obligations.
A two-time national champion as a member of the UConn Huskies, Hayes returns to Connecticut after a 10-year tenure with the Dream that exceeded the expectations of even the most ardent UConn faithful. The 14th pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft, Hayes leaves Atlanta as the second-best player in franchise history, trailing only the iconic Angel McCoughtry.
With a combination of shiftiness, speed and spunk, Hayes has emerged as one the preeminent rim threats in the WNBA, able to earn an advantage on the perimeter, navigate a crowded paint and convert crafty finishes. She is just as impactful on the other side of the floor, willing to exert the energy and effort necessary to pressure and pester opposing offensive…
