Tina Charles will play in AU Pro Basketball for its fifth season this winter, the league announced on Tuesday. She is the first former WNBA MVP to sign with the league and boasts a Hall of Fame-worthy resume that includes overseas championships.<\/p>\n
“I’ve always been passionate about using the game to inspire and empower others, and AU\u2019s player-driven model really aligns with that,\u201d Charles said in an email to Yahoo Sports. \u201cHaving a voice in how the league operates on and off the court is powerful. It\u2019s important to me to be part of something where athletes are leading the way, shaping the culture, and building a future that reflects our values. I\u2019m excited to compete, but also to contribute to a movement that\u2019s changing the game for the next generation.”<\/p>\n
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The 6-foot-4 center is the WNBA\u2019s all-time leading rebounder and second-leading scorer over a 13-year career that included the 2012 MVP award, five additional top-five MVP finishes and nine All-Star nods. Though she has no WNBA championships in her trophy case, she\u2019s a three-time Olympic gold medalist and led UConn to back-to-back undefeated seasons in 2009 and 2010.<\/p>\n
The Connecticut Sun drafted the National Player of the Year with the top draft pick in 2010, and in 2014, she returned to her home area of New York to star for the Liberty through 2019. Since then she\u2019s been a journeywoman, at times ring-chasing (Washington in 2021, Phoenix and then Seattle in 2022) and now enjoying the sunset years of her career, most recently back with the Sun. She\u2019s averaging 17.8 points, 9 rebounds and 2.2 assists over her WNBA career.<\/p>\n
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\u201cAdding someone of Tina\u2019s caliber to the AU Pro Basketball family is huge for us, and further evidence of the stellar roster of competitors we are building for AU Pro Basketball,\u201d Megan Perry, Vice President of Basketball for Athletes Unlimited, said in a statement. \u201cShe brings championship pedigree, star power, and leadership, and is among the most respected players within the basketball community. We believe her presence will elevate competition, mentor rising players, and give fans yet another reason to be thrilled when the season tips off next February.\u201d<\/p>\n
AU Pro Basketball will hold its fifth season at Nashville\u2019s Municipal Auditorium from Feb. 4, 2026 through Feb. 28. The incomplete 2026 roster includes<\/a> returners Sydney Colson, Alysha Clark, Isabelle Harrison, Lexie Brown, Kia Nurse and 2023 AU individual champion NaLyssa Smith, as well as newcomers Ariel Atkins, Te-Hina Paopao, Jacy Sheldon and Kiah Stokes.<\/p>\n The 15 signed players boast 13 WNBA championships and 16 NCAA championships between them. The league intends to carry a 40-person roster, but it is monitoring the collective bargaining negotiations <\/a>between the WNBA and players union that could result in a labor stoppage.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cWe’re going to start with building a really great 2026 season, and if there’s an opportunity for us to do more, then I think we’re going to take a hard look at that,\u201d Perry told Yahoo Sports last month.<\/a><\/p>\n Charles, who went unsigned as a free agent in 2023, is in the twilight of her career, turning 37 in December. She alluded to a WNBA return earlier this month, telling the home crowd after the Connecticut Sun\u2019s finale she is \u201clooking forward to being back.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n As is the case for the majority of veteran WNBA players, she spent her offseasons playing overseas. In the two recent offseasons, she won the Turkish Super League with Fenerbah\u00e7e and the FIBA Europe SuperCup Women championship for Hebei Win Power.<\/p>\n Charles was named the 2025 recipient of the WNBA\u2019s Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award last week for her commitment to service, social justice and creating lasting impact in the communities she serves. She also won the award in 2012.<\/p>\n