WNBA all-time great Tina Charles announces retirement with plenty left in the tank

Charles, an NCAA champion at UConn and three-time Olympic gold medalist, can certainly hold her head high by leaving the game with a lot more to give, but she may want to keep a copy of her resume nearby. 

WNBA teams should keep Tina Charles on their radar during the 2026 season

While rosters are mostly set entering the WNBA regular-season tip-off on Friday, there may come a time when the 2010 No. 1 overall pick could be of immense value. As injuries inevitably occur, Thomas would be an incredible in-season pickup — if a team can lure her out of retirement.

That's certainly not a given, and with Charles concluding her retirement statement by writing, "There are still dreams in my heart waiting to be lived, and I can't wait to share that journey with you all," she may have no interest in an eventual comeback.

But it would be somewhat unfortunate for Charles, who in 2024 set the WNBA rebounding record — which now sits at 4,262 — not to get the farewell tour she richly deserves.

A return to the court — on a contending team, where she'd have a chance to win a WNBA championship — would allow fans to give her an appropriate send-off.

If this is truly the end, Charles exits as one of the legends of the game and a list of accomplishments that should easily make her a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee in two years. But with a tank far from empty, Charles has plenty left to offer. It may take a lot to coax her into taking another ride, but as situations change and needs arise, WNBA front offices would be foolish not to consider the possibility. Otherwise, we'll see Charles in Springfield soon enough.