No one felt the offseason shake-up harder than the Connecticut Sun. It was like someone hit the restart button. All five starters from last year – Alyssa Thomas, DiJonai Carrington, Tyasha Harris, Brionna Jones, and DeWanna Bonner – packed their bags and dipped from Uncasville. Just like that, a core that took the Sun to the playoffs year after year was scattered across the league. Carrington found herself down in Dallas, teaming up with rookie sensation Paige Bueckers while Thomas took her game to the Phoenix Mercury. But even though they’re now on different teams, it looks like some habits and moves are still rubbing off on each other.

When the Wings met the Mercury this week, we got more than just a battle of rosters – we got reunions as Nai met Thomas, and Satou Sabally faced her ex-franchise. Now, even though the game had multiple highlight-worthy moments, one in particular had people talking. You know DiJonai, she’s all gas, no brakes. High-energy defense and hard drives to the rim. Her physicality has earned her both fans and critics. Some call it reckless, others call it art.

This time, though, Carrington pulled off a move straight out of the Alyssa Thomas playbook. In the first quarter, AT did her thing – bulldozing her way to the rim with that signature shoulder nudge, this time knocking Arike Ogunbowale off balance before sinking the bucket. Then came the fourth, and DiJonai barreled down the lane and gave Sami Whitcomb the same treatment. And who was trailing her on the play? AT, with a smiling look that screamed, “That’s my move!”

A fan put together a video of both moments and wrote, “That’s her move ik she’s proud as hell.” Carrington saw it and replied with a repost that said, “same move ofccc,” with laughing emojis. The way they took it as a fun moment just shows that their bond is still strong, even when they are on opposite sides.

And how couldn’t it be? These two aren’t just former teammates. They were ride-or-die for four seasons. Together, they made it to the playoffs every single year. They even had a Finals run in 2022. Both were crucial to the Suns’ success. But it wasn’t just a partnership on the court. Off the court, the connection has only grown stronger. You’ll often catch them hyping each other up on Instagram stories or dropping inside jokes in the comments.

Just recently, on AT’s birthday, Nai posted a heartfelt tribute that had fans feeling all the feels. “Happy birthday to my bestieeeeee!!!! I’ll miss you too, no need for you to say it,” she wrote, adding, “Thanks for showing me how to be true and for teachin’ me how to play the game the right way. Love you forevssss.” Also, Carrington is always the first to show love to AT and DeWanna Bonner (AT’s partner) whenever a cute courtside moment happens.

It goes without saying that Alyssa returns the same energy. For the bestie-duo, it’s always been bigger than basketball and bigger than team dynamics. So even when the 5x All-Star was traded to the Mercury, Carrington didn’t hold back her emotions. She posted crying emojis, expressing, “See ya on the other side mannnn.” 

And now, here they are – on those very “other sides.” Rocking different jerseys, repping different cities, but somehow still in perfect sync. When they took the court tonight, sure, it was all business. But there’s no doubt that behind the competition, there was still that same unshakeable friendship. No matter the score. No matter the outcome. Speaking of which, as for the game itself, it ended in another L.

The Wings fell 93-80 to the Mercury, dropping their record to 1-10 and facing their sixth straight loss. But if there was one bright spot Dallas fans can hold on to, it’s that Bueckers was finally back. After missing four games with a concussion and illness, she returned like she had something to prove. Made her first six shots and ended up with 35 points, going 13-for-19. A career night for her, but sadly, it wasn’t enough. The rest of the Wings shot just 33% and couldn’t keep up with Phoenix’s balanced attack. But regardless of the final score, Paige won hearts. But you know what, it wasn’t just her on-court performance; she stole the spotlight in more ways than one that night.

Paige Bueckers steps in to help a teammate during a quiet moment

Sometimes, it’s the quietest moves that speak the loudest. We already know Paige Bueckers and DiJonai Carrington have built a pretty solid bond this season. One of the earlier signs was right after Bueckers returned to the court; she walked straight over to Carrington during media time and playfully asked, “Did you miss me?” The surprise on Carrington’s face and her smile said it all – yes, she did.

Now, Bueckers may be a rookie in the WNBA, but she’s no stranger to big stages or building connections. With a huge fanbase from her UConn days and a mature, team-first mindset, she’s made it clear she’s here to be more than just a scorer. That rookie-vet relationship between her and Carrington has turned out to be both wholesome and real. We saw another glimpse of that on Wednesday.

While Paige dropped a career-high, she also stepped in off the court, in a quiet but meaningful way. After the game, Carrington had a brief moment with her former Sun teammate, Thomas. But as the two connected, Carrington clearly didn’t want the cameras to catch their exchange. She put her hand up to block the view, but the camera kept rolling. That’s when Bueckers stepped in. 

She casually stood in front of the lens, shielding the moment and giving her teammate the privacy she wanted. A simple move, but a thoughtful one. The conversation between Carrington and Thomas stayed private, just like it was meant to be. Now, instead of stories digging into what was said, everyone’s talking about what Bueckers did.