Moriah Jefferson Is Returning to Her Roots, Ready To Contribute on and off the Court

After 8 seasons as a pro in the WNBA, Moriah Jefferson is back in Connecticut after an off-season trade with the Phoenix Mercury and Connecticut Sun. Just prior to the trade, Jefferson had been back in Connecticut as UConn honored the 10 year anniversary of the 2013 & 2014 NCAA Championship teams.

She still regularly communicates with former UConn teammates, Breanna Stewart and Morgan Tuck, in a groupchat they've had since their college days. Tuck is now the assistant GM for the Sun.

"Getting the news, it was kind of a full circle moment, you can't really ask for a better situation," says Jefferson.

Jefferson is eager to play in front of the fans in Connecticut again, noting the crossover between Sun and Husky faithful. 

Her return to Connecticut is a homecoming of sorts, but one defined by change. Jefferson's 30th birthday is coming up this Friday. She's fought and scrapped to earn her place in the WNBA, enduring multiple knee injuries and the rehab processes that come with them. After being cut by the Dallas Wings early in the 2022 season, she signed with the Lynx and started every game she played, putting together her finest season since her rookie year.

She's played a multitude of systems, playing alongside countless different stars, soaking in different schemes and systems. Now headed into her prime in another new system, she feels at ease.

Connecticut started playing a Read & React offense last season, predicated by exactly what it says: you are essentially reading and reacting to the defense! There are sets still, but most of the offense rotates and flows out of actions and making quick decisions from them. It's harder to guard when run well, as the offense is leading the dance and dictating play.

The Sun saw success changing things up with new Head Coach Stephanie White in Alyssa Thomas' premier season running the offense.

Adding steady guard play was something the Sun sought to do in the off-season, particularly after Tiffany Hayes' retirement, and Jefferson is seen as a part of redefining that position group headed into 2024.

"I love playing read and react type of basketball. It's easier, it's not really cookie cutter robot type of basketball... you have a lot of different flows and reads, playing with AT (Thomas) and DB (DeWanna Bonner) I think that'll be really easy to do. That type of system, that type of flow is a better offense, because now it's free flowing and everyone can play in that," says Jefferson.

Through that consistent change throughout her career, she's worked to expand her skill set, growing as a player without the ball. She took and made the most 3's of her career last season, her lone with the Mercury, a 39.8 percent outside shooter over the course of her career. She can play out the pick and roll, start the break in transition, and help connect plays in the halfcourt while spacing. 

The Sun are focused on contention, built for right now and making the tweaks this off-season to supplement what they do well. Bri Jones is slated to return to play this season after missing the majority of last year with an achilles tendon rupture, a vital part of the Sun.

This is a heavily veteran group, but that excites Jefferson.

"I've been on a lot of teams where it's not necessarily like that, a lot of younger guys, and even coming into the league I had one vet, Jayne Appel (now Appel-Marinelli). So being able to play with a team that's already established, everyone knows what they have to do. It just makes your job as a point guard a lot easier... listening to them, what's important for them. They already know their bodies, know their roles on the court... as a point guard, it's kind of your dream," says Jefferson.

Now in a role that the majority of her professional career has prepared her for, Jefferson figures to be an impact player in Connecticut once again, just in a different jersey.

While returning to her roots as a player, she's also giving back.

Jefferson was born and came up in Texas, and was homeschooled throughout high school, which significantly lessened her visibility as a prospect coming up. She gives an immense amount of credit to AAU and the DFW Elite program she played for as helping her reach the level and eyes that ending up leading her to Storrs.

"AAU was where I got my stardom at, I wouldn't have gotten the looks I did, or to UConn without it," says Jefferson.

This coming AAU season will be the first that Team Moriah Jefferson competes, playing on the 3SSB Adidas Circuit, as Jefferson founded her own program back in Texas.

"It's just about giving back to the kids, they love it so far," says Jefferson with a smile.

"Getting a chance to go to practices and getting to be in the gym with them has been really exciting for me, so  I can't wait for the next step there and I hope they have a good year."

As Jefferson said herself, things are coming full circle. She's still in the midst of a stellar career, but is pouring back into the people and places that have driven her to where she's at now, off the court back in Texas, and soon on the court again in Connecticut.