Connecticut Sun First Basket Stats 2026: Who Scores First
Diamond Miller scored the Sun’s first basket more than anyone in 2026: 9 times in 43 starts, or 21% of the games they started. Brittney Griner was next with 9. The Sun made the game’s first field goal in 45% of their 44 games and won 72% of their opening tipoffs. Everything below is counted from the play-by-play of every 2026 game (330 regular season, 16 playoffs, 1 play-in).
Who scored the first basket for the Sun in 2026
First basket for team is the first field goal by any CON player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for CON | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Miller | 43 | 9 | 21% | 3 | 7% |
| Brittney Griner | 18 | 9 | 50% | 3 | 17% |
| Leila Lacan | 30 | 6 | 20% | 4 | 13% |
| Aneesah Morrow | 9 | 5 | 56% | 3 | 33% |
| Charlisse Leger-Walker | 32 | 5 | 16% | 1 | 3% |
| Kennedy Burke | 14 | 4 | 29% | 2 | 14% |
| Aaliyah Edwards | 21 | 3 | 14% | 2 | 10% |
| Olivia Nelson-Ododa | 23 | 2 | 9% | 2 | 9% |
| Saniya Rivers | 18 | 1 | 6% | 0 | 0% |
How often the Sun scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 44 | 20 | 45% |
| Home | 22 | 8 | 36% |
| Away | 22 | 12 | 55% |
| Regular season | 44 | 20 | 45% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brittney Griner | 17 | 14 | 82% |
| Olivia Nelson-Ododa | 14 | 12 | 86% |
| Aaliyah Edwards | 11 | 4 | 36% |
| Charlisse Leger-Walker | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Team | 43 | 31 | 72% |
How the Sun’s first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Layup | 23 | 52% |
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 19 | 43% |
| 3-pointer | 2 | 5% |
2025
| Player | Starts | First basket for CON | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player 202250 | 0 | 12 | – | 2 | – |
| Marina Mabrey | 0 | 8 | – | 6 | – |
| Olivia Nelson-Ododa | 0 | 5 | – | 3 | – |
| Leila Lacan | 0 | 5 | – | 1 | – |
| Jacy Sheldon | 0 | 4 | – | 3 | – |
| Player 203829 | 0 | 3 | – | 1 | – |
| Aneesah Morrow | 0 | 3 | – | 0 | – |
| Lindsay Allen | 0 | 2 | – | 1 | – |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Sun?
Diamond Miller, with 9 of the Sun’s first baskets in 2026 (21% of their 43 starts), ahead of Brittney Griner with 9.
How often do the Sun score first?
The Sun made the first field goal in 20 of 44 games in 2026 (45%): 36% at home and 55% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Sun?
Brittney Griner took 17 of the Sun’s 43 opening tips in 2026 and won 82% of them.
Is Diamond Miller a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 21% of starts is worth a bet only when a book prices them below that, after adjusting for tonight’s lineup and opponent. Our models make that comparison every 30 minutes for every WNBA game; see WNBA first basket picks.
Source: WNBA play-by-play and box scores, 2026. Updated October 13, 2026. See the WNBA first basket leaders for every team, or all stats.