WNBA legend Tina Charles announced her retirement from basketball on Tuesday via her personal X account.
It was all a dream.. pic.twitter.com/YtComVxYYN
— Tina Charles (@tinacharles31) May 5, 2026
“Today, I officially announce my retirement from basketball.”
“Fifteen years at the professional level and a lifetime of love for this game. I’ve experienced the highest highs and lowest lows, and I’m thankful for all of it. Through it all, I learned how to show up. When doubt got loud and narratives were written without me, I kept showing up.”
Charles played her college basketball at UConn and was the first overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun. After four years, she joined the New York Liberty, where she spent most of her career. Charles opted to sit out the 2020 WNBA season and then spent the next few seasons on one-year deals, ending with the Sun for a farewell season in 2025. She averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in her final campaign.
The 37-year-old center ends her Hall of Fame-worthy career with 8,396 points and 4,262 rebounds over 473 games. Charles has the WNBA record for most career rebounds and made field goals while ranking second in career points scored, trailing only Diana Taurasi.
Charles was the 2010 WNBA Rookie of the Year, the 2012 WNBA MVP, an eight-time WNBA All-Star and a three-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA. Leading up to her retirement, Charles was also involved in the recent collective bargaining agreement negotiations.
Per ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, Charles helped create a new rule about the retired player recognition payment, stating, “if a retired player is deceased, their beneficiary should receive the payment.”
To be eligible for the Basketball Hall of Fame, players must be retired for four full seasons. Charles will be eligible for enshrinement in 2030.
