Behind the Glow: Aaliyah Edwards
WNBA Connecticut Sun

Behind the Glow: Aaliyah Edwards

Published on September 24, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Connecticut Sun News Release


Dear Connecticut,

It's hard to say goodbye to a place that has felt like home in more than one chapter of my life.

Long before I wore a Connecticut Sun jersey, Connecticut welcomed a young girl from Kingston, Ontario, who came here with big dreams and a lot to still learn. This state watched me grow up. It gave me space to learn, to make mistakes, to become more confident, more resilient, and more certain of the woman and player I wanted to be.

I thought I knew what it meant to call Connecticut home.

Then basketball brought me back.

Before I ever imagined playing professionally here, I was a college kid sitting in the stands at Sun games, watching this team compete, watching those playoff runs, and feeling inspired by what was happening right in front of me. I remember looking at the players on that court and dreaming about what my own basketball journey could become.

Years later, I got the chance to put on a Connecticut Sun jersey myself.

That feeling is something I'll always carry with me.

There's something special about getting to play professionally in a place that already holds so much of your story. To see familiar faces in the stands. To hear from people who supported me before I ever became a professional. To create new memories in a place already filled with so many old ones. I am grateful for it all.

And through every chapter, my family has been there.

They've been there for the early mornings, the long drives, the wins, the losses, the uncertainty, the sacrifices, and all the moments in between. They've supported every step of this journey and reminded me that while basketball has taken me far, I never have to walk any part of it alone. Getting to share this chapter in Connecticut with them has made it even more meaningful.

Connecticut has been there for so many versions of me.

The college kid and student, learning herself and figuring out who she wanted to become beyond basketball.

The hooper with the purple and yellow braids or the "Kobe braids" as some called them.

The Masked Mamba, which brought out a different dawg in me.

The player chasing championships and dreams.

And now, the pro who had the opportunity to come back and give a little more of herself to a place that had already given her so much!

That's what makes this goodbye different.

I'm not just leaving a team or an arena. I'm turning the page on a chapter in a place that has been part of my journey in ways I could never have planned.

To the fans, thank you for welcoming me back. Thank you for making it feel like I belonged here from the beginning. Thank you for every cheer, every sign, every conversation, every familiar face, and every reminder that the relationships we build through this game can stretch far beyond the court.

To Connecticut: thank you for giving me a place to grow. Thank you for the memories, the lessons, the people, and the moments I'll carry with me long after this chapter ends.

Basketball has taken me to a lot of places, and I know there are still so many places left for it to take me.

But some places leave a mark on you.

Connecticut is one of those places for me.

From Storrs to Uncasville, from one chapter to another, thank you for letting me call you home.

With love,

Aaliyah Edwards

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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from September 24, 2026


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