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Former Stephanie White Player Suspended Right Before WNBA Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated May 15, 2025 5:46 PM ET

After finishing the 2024 WNBA season with a 20-20 record, falling in the first round, the Indiana Fever brought in head coach Stephanie White from the Connecticut Sun to replace Christie Sides.

White spent only two seasons with the Sun, taking them to the WNBA Playoffs semifinals in both. She also won the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year Award. But she elected to return to Indiana to be closer to her family, among other reasons.

The Sun hired Rachid Meziane to replace White, finishing 1-1 in his first preseason. But Connecticut is one of the few WNBA teams to have 13 players make the final roster.

The reason for this is that the Sun have temporarily suspended rookie Leila Lacan due to her overseas obligations, according to WNBA reporter Khristina Williams. She is currently playing for the Basket Landes in France's La Boulangère Wonderligue.

This means that Lacan's contract and roster spot won't count against the salary cap, allowing the Sun to have an extra player on the roster until she returns.

"The Connecticut Sun have finalized their opening day roster for the 2025 WNBA season," Williams wrote on X. "Leila Lacan has been temporarily suspended due to overseas obligations."

The Connecticut Sun have finalized their opening day roster for the 2025 WNBA season.

•The Sun’s 2025 Draft picks, Aneesah Morrow, Saniya Rivers, Rayah Marshall, and Leila Lacan made the cut.

• Leila Lacan has been temporarily suspended due to overseas obligations. pic.twitter.com/lljh13zpht
— Khristina Williams (@Khristina) May 15, 2025

Lacan, the 5-foot-11 guard from Rodez, France, was selected by the Sun with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, White's final draft with the team. However, she elected to stay overseas last year and will likely begin her WNBA career this season.

Lacan and the Basket Landes will play in round 3 of the La Boulangère Wonderligue Finals on Friday, looking for the team's first championship since 2021.

White and the Fever will begin the 2025 regular season on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET against the Chicago Sky. The Sun will play their first game the following day against the Washington Mystics at 1:00 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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