The Connecticut Sun of the WNBA has been acquired by the Fertitta family, owners of the NBA's Houston Rockets. The Sun will move to Texas under the terms of the agreement.

ESPN initially reported the transaction, indicating that the Rockets owners will pay $300 million for the franchise, setting a new benchmark for WNBA team sales.

The Sun is scheduled to complete the 2026 season in Uncasville, Connecticut, before shifting operations to Houston the next year. This move brings the WNBA back to one of its founding cities.

Although the Houston Comets ceased operations in 2008, they rank among the league's most accomplished teams, sharing the record for most titles with four alongside the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm.

According to ESPN, the Sun are likely to take on the Comets name, though the sale and relocation require final approval from the WNBA Board of Governors.

Earlier reports noted that Marc Lasry, co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, explored a bid, but owners instead pursued a $325 million deal with a group led by former Boston Celtics minority owner Stephen Pagliuca that would have moved the team to Boston.

That proposal fell through after the WNBA stepped in, clarifying that only the Board of Governors could authorize relocation and that priority would go to cities with formal expansion bids.

The league has openly pursued a return to Houston, with Commissioner Cathy Engelbert declaring last June that the city would be next in line for expansion without question.

Although this Houston team is not a brand-new franchise, the WNBA is in a major growth phase that started with the Golden State Valkyries joining last year.

The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo are set to enter the league this season, with Cleveland arriving in 2028, Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030, expanding the circuit to 18 teams.