Former UConn star Tiffany Hayes announces retirement from WNBA after 11 seasons

Hayes played for the Connecticut Sun this past season after a decade with the Atlanta Dream

By Isabel Gonzalez Dec 13, 2023 at 2:36 pm ET• 1 min read

Connecticut Sun guard and former UConn star Tiffany Hayes is officially retiring from the WNBA, she announced on Wednesday. The 2017 WNBA All-Star shared the news on the "Count Me Out" podcast.

"This right here with the Connecticut Sun was my last season," Hayes said.

Hayes averaged 12.1 points in 40 games for the Sun through the 2023 season. Before joining the Sun's roster earlier this year, she spent 10 years with the Atlanta Dream. Her resume was already impressive before being selected 14th overall in the 2012 WNBA Draft, as the Florida native won two national championships with the UConn Huskies in 2009 and 2010.

"It's a lot of things. I really feel like I'm older now. I got a lot of stuff that I really always want to get into but I'm so busy 'cause I'm playing year-round," Hayes said. "Plus, my body, playing 11 seasons straight with no breaks, every year, two seasons in a year every time, that's a lot."

Fun fact: Tiffany Hayes is one of just 10 players in WNBA history with...

4,000+ PTS
1,000+ FTM
1,000+ REB
750+ AST
350+ 3PMhttps://t.co/0LvIF4NzLh

Congrats on an incredible WNBA career! pic.twitter.com/Y1QrYFCdCz

— Across the Timeline (@WBBTimeline) December 13, 2023

The 34-year-old is not completely leaving basketball just yet. Throughout her time as a pro, Hayes has played overseas during the WNBA offseason -- most recently with Çukurova Basketbol in Turkey. A lot of WNBA players play two seasons to make more money, but Hayes is now choosing to do just one so she can spend more time enjoying other areas of her life.