Audio By Carbonatix
The Connecticut Sun do not seem to be worried about the accuracy of its promotional material. It is actively promoting a player who is no longer on the team at its home arena.
This comes amid the organization’s search for a potential buyer and subsequent move, which gives the appearance that the current ownership is completely checked out.
Diamond DeShields signed a one-year contract with the Connecticut Sun prior to the 2025 WNBA season back in February. She was waived on Thursday, May 15, just one day before the season-opener.
Although DeShields is 30 years old and struggled to return to form after a knee injury in 2023, the decision to cut her loose right at the buzzer was a bit of a surprise. The former No. 3 overall pick made the All-Star team in 2019, won a WNBA championship in 2021 and averaged 11.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game throughout the early portion of her career.
It seemed as though DeShields was going to play an important role off of the bench for the Sun during its quest for a seventh-straight semifinal appearance. The marketing team certainly thought so!
Connecticut plays all of its home games at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville. The arena is attached to the predominant casino in the Nutmeg State. Thus, the organization promotes its team inside of the casino. A large billboard on one of the main entry walls features four different players: Marina Mabrey, Tina Charles, Olivia Nelson-Ododa and… Diamond DeShields. Awkward.
DeShields is no longer on the roster even though she is framed as one of the team’s four biggest stars. The billboard has yet to be removed.
Diamond DeShields still on Sun promos around the Casino
byu/wremt inwnba
The billboard was installed prior to the preseason. DeShields was waived by the Sun less than 36 hours before the regular season. I get it. The Minnesota Timberwolves still hung a big banner for Karl-Anthony Towns in their arena on the day after he was traded to the New York Knicks. Roster moves happen. It takes some time to react.
However, it has been a week since Diamond DeShields was waived by the Connecticut Sun. This is no longer considered a “new move” that happened overnight. There was enough time to make the switch.
And yet, the billboard remains. Neither the marketing team nor the ownership group seem to care!