Leïla Lacan of the Connecticut Sun is back from France. That's great news for the Sun, who are already showing signs of major improvement.
Lacan is a standout player, coming off being one of the team's top performers last year. So far, she's easily picking up right where she left off.
The 2025 season marked Lacan's first with the Connecticut Sun, but one wouldn't have known it right away.
The then-rookie guard averaged 10.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. This stat line, along with Lacan's overall impact, is exactly what landed her a spot in the Associated Press's 2025 All-Rookie Team.
A well-rounded player like Lacan is exactly what the Sun need. Connecticut has started this season continuing with their struggles from last year. With Lacan coming in around a quarter of the way through the season, and without the guidance of Marina Mabrey , who's now in Toronto , there is more pressure than ever for her to step up.
Lacan is doing it with ease.
Overseas competition in France allowed Lacan to have a smooth transition so far back in the WNBA.
For the second year in a row, the guard led her team, Basket Landes, to the championship title in the 2026 La Boulangère Wonderligue tournament .
In the tournament, Lacan averaged 12.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, earning her Finals MVP. Despite her key role, the guard remains an unselfish player who strives for a team effort.
"It's true that it was not easy to leave the group that we had in France," Lacan said in her first post-game press conference back in the United States. "We had a successful season in terms of results, but more than that, we were really all getting along."
Her impact on the court in France has continued so far back with the Connecticut Sun.
In her first game back with the team against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 30, the guard put up 12 points in 21 minutes. The Sun defeated the Sparks by three. That gave Connecticut just its second win of the year in 10 games.
"She's so mature, and she already has a vet mindset and a vet style of play," Sun guard Kennedy Burke said after the game. "It showed today. She didn't even seem tired. She's a great leader. I love playing with her, even though it's the first game; I've always been a fan of hers."
Despite it being Lacan's first game back, playing with new faces compared to last year, her ability to step up to the plate should not go unnoticed.
Her impact continued into her second game back with the team against the Atlanta Dream on June 2. Lacan kept the game tight throughout most of the night. In what was a loss to Atlanta, she finished with 11 points, two rebounds, and five assists.
While the Connecticut Sun continue to play with different players coming in and out, Leïla Lacan's contributions are certainly ones to rely on as the season carries on.
The post Can Leïla Lacan Get the Connecticut Sun Back on Track? appeared first on The Lead .
