“It’s because it’s the … birth [year] of my grandmother. So in France, [for] our national team, I wear my grandpa’s [birth year], and my grandmother’s [birth year for the Sun],” Lacan told The Next.
“When I was younger, they [took] me to practice. They got sick when I was maybe 10. So it’s like a little homage to them because I know they will always support me.”
Playing for her grandparents shows the drive Lacan has to succeed. Born and raised in France, Lacan is facing the challenges of living and playing in a country where she had never played before. The 5’11 rookie guard is also one of the youngest players in the WNBA.
But she doesn’t play like it, fitting into the Sun’s system seamlessly since joining the team at the beginning of July.
Order ‘Rare Gems’ and save 30%
Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The Next and The IX, released his latest book on May 7, 2024. This deeply reported story follows four connected generations of women’s basketball pioneers, from Elvera “Peps” Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.
If you enjoy his coverage of women’s basketball every Wednesday at The IX, you will love “Rare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.” Click the link below to order and enter MEGDAL30 at checkout.
In 2024, the Connecticut Sun selected Lacan with the No. 10 overall pick in the WNBA draft, but she opted out of playing due to overseas obligations with the French national team. The Sun retained their rights to her, and she signed a contract with them on Feb. 8.
Lacan, a combo guard, made an immediate impact on the Sun roster that was noticeable in just her first three games. Within those three games, Connecticut defeated the Seattle Storm and Lacan’s French teammates Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga. She had a game-high plus-minus of +19 in that game.
She has a strong ability to draw fouls when driving to the basket, and is patient on the offensive end. She has also found success in pick-and-roll scenarios, which is critical to the Sun’s offensive system.
Lacan is also able to be disruptive on the defensive end, pairing well with her fellow rookie guard Saniya Rivers. The Sun have made it a point to make defense a significant part of their identity this season.
The x-factor
The impact that Lacan has been able to have in just nine games with the team is a promising sign for the Sun, who currently sit at the bottom of the WNBA standings. She is poised and doesn’t seem to play like a typical rookie who may have first-year jitters.
Lacan says she wants to use her strengths to help elevate the Sun to more success for the second half of the season, which she is already doing.
“I want to defend. I want to bring energy. That’s the first point [of how I want to impact the team], and aggressiveness on offense and on defense,” Lacan said.
Sun guard Jacy Sheldon praised Lacan for what she has been able to do for the team and noted her skills as a passer. Lacan has become known as a great distributor and defender, as well as for driving to the basket to draw fouls, but her will to win also stands out among other players.
“She knows the game, [she] already is comfortable within our offense,” Sheldon told reporters. “And [she] is a very good passer … You can already tell the first day, [the] first couple of minutes she was here, that’s something you can see about her game … She’s a competitor. You can see it when she’s playing defense. You can see it on offense. And I think that she’s been great with this group, and she’s going to make people around her better. So I’m excited to play with her.”
Creating the Sun’s identity and building a new culture
The Sun have been searching for their identity throughout the season so far, but they may have found it with the addition of Lacan to their roster. Lacan has a lot to offer, including her defensive skillset and international professional experience.
A 21-year-old WNBA rookie doesn’t usually have the confidence and composure that Lacan has already gained. Lacan helped lead the French National Team to the Gold Medal game during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they fell just short, earning Silver Medal honors.
“I think she’s a really good player,” Sheldon told reporters post-game after their win against Seattle on July 9. “[She’s] really good at finding people and making plays, and whether that’s her scoring, or finding someone on the outside …”
Tune in to Locked On Women’s Basketball
Here at The IX Basketball, in addition to the 24/7/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.
Lacan joins the Sun
Lacan touched down in Connecticut not long after competing in the EuroBasket tournament, and made her first appearance at practice on July 3. She was unable to practice that day due to league protocols, which required her to go through physicals and be cleared first.
Moving to the United States happened very quickly for Lacan, and she joined the Sun right before a west coast road trip. She didn’t have much time to settle into her new home before she was back on another flight to head to Seattle to play the Storm.
“I … [got] a medical check [up], then I … [participated in] three or four practices and [played in] two games, and moving into my apartment. It’s a lot of new things in a short time,” Lacan said with a smile.
Lacan had never played in the United States up until this point, but has proved that she can handle the physicality and adjust quickly. She also says she hasn’t been to the country since she was young.
“I went to New York 10-12 years ago, [in my] early days with my dad and my sister. But yeah, it’s my first time playing here,” Lacan explained.
In her short time Connecticut, Lacan has already started to form friendships with her teammates off the court. Sheldon had never interacted with Lacan before she got to Connecticut and was able to connect with her in the first couple of weeks to get to know her more as a person and player.
“I’ve talked to her a lot. This is my first time meeting her. [She’s a] super nice person, [she’s] obviously not used to the States. We’re happy she’s here,” Sheldon said.
Sheldon plans to help Lacan continue to acclimate to a brand new environment by spending time with her, which may include taking her to get some of Connecticut’s world-famous pizza.
“Just taking her to places like maybe we go [out] to eat, taking her with us, going to the mall. We do things as a team all the time. We go to our pool a lot. So I just think the more she’s around us and doing stuff with us, the more comfortable she’ll get. And I don’t think that’s going to take long at all,” Sheldon said.
“… I think she’s proving that she can perform at this level. It’s more about now getting her comfortable with us and with this staff and with honestly being in the States. So I think that’s our job, and she’s fit in just fine. I think the more we’re around her, the more she’ll get comfortable around us, and vice versa.”
Adjusting
Lacan began playing basketball at a young age, and no matter where she was playing, the sport she fell in love with was always universal to her. She naturally gravitated towards the sport, following in her sister’s footsteps.
“I began [playing basketball] when I was [about] four [years old], because my older sister was playing,” Lacan said. “But I know that I [also] did swimming and karate. And at the end, I chose basketball because the other [sports], I didn’t really like them, and I was really happy to play basketball, even if every Saturday morning when I had to go to practice, I was crying, ‘I don’t want to go! I don’t want to go!’ In the end, the second I was on the court, I was smiling, having fun, so I never left.”
She knows how to adjust to different leagues after being on some of the highest stages in the Olympics and EuroBasket. But Lacan says the most difficult thing she’s had to face so far is building chemistry with her teammates.
“[My biggest adjustment has been] knowing everybody on the court, like my teammates, who likes what. I think, [those are] things that come with time, and I don’t have a lot of time to find out those things … I have to do it as fast as possible,” Lacan said.
The IX Basketball, a 24/7/365 women’s basketball newsroom powered by The Next
The IX Basketball: A basketball newsroom brought to you by The IX Sports. 24/7/365 women’s basketball coverage, written, edited and photographed by our young, diverse staff and dedicated to breaking news, analysis, historical deep dives and projections about the game we love.
Despite Lacan being critical of herself, her teammates have applauded her for her talents.
“She just knows the game. She knows ball. She just got here, and is very naturally fitting into everything knows the game of basketball, is a playmaker, can guard the crap out of the ball, and I think she’s still getting comfortable in our offense, and once she does, I think she’s really going to help us on both ends of the floor,” Sheldon said.
Connecticut’s coaching staff has also been impressed with how well Lacan is adjusting to the team, but they also weren’t surprised. Head coach Rachid Meziane, also from France, was already familiar with her game and had coached against her in the past.
“She’s here to play basketball,” Meziane told reporters. “Basketball is not about the country [that you’re playing in]. So I think that everybody is helping her on the court, but also off the court to … [make her] comfortable, but I think that we saw that she’s already ready to play. What she did against Las Vegas was good. So I just encourage her to continue, but I think that everybody is helping her to feel [more] comfortable.”
Sun assistant coach Roneeka Hodges noted her intelligence as a player and how that is going to help the team be successful, not just for the rest of the season but in the future as well.
“She has a high basketball IQ. She has European experience, so she is a rookie in the WNBA, but she has a ton of experience, and I think that has helped her a lot in adjusting to her role and what’s being asked of her,” Hodges told The Next post-game on July 9.
“And I think today, she started out with great defensive intensity. And I think sometimes, as a player, when you’re trying to fit in, or you’re trying to find your way, you start out with your focus being on the defensive end. I thought that she did a good job. She stuck to the scheme, she applied pressure … and I think that her defense helped her offense get going.”
Sun guard Bria Hartley has encouraged Lacan to continue to be aggressive while playing and has helped her catch up on what she missed during the first half of the season. Hartley has taken on a significant leadership role since games resumed after the All-Star break.
“I think just by being here for her, anything she needs. She came in late this season, helping her with sets, helping her with thinking in the game and certain things to run for certain people. So that’s the biggest thing I try to do with her, and then just keep encouraging her, tell her to be aggressive, look for her shot and just play her game,” Hartley told The Next.
Lacan’s teammates have been there to support her through her adjustment, with the willingness to help her with whatever she needs. With Rivers being a rookie herself, she understands what it’s like to enter the WNBA and has welcomed Lacan with open arms.
“If she has any questions, obviously, I knew the plays before her, so if she has a question about the plays, or anything like that,” Rivers told The Next. “Or maybe there’s a language gap, or something like that. She’s actually been teaching me some French and if she’s struggling to speak English or something, I help her out with that.”
“But basketball-wise, I think she got all the keys she needs to know, but in the game, in the moment, we talk about, guarding the best players, because I feel like we’re the top two defenders on the team. So we’ll talk about stuff like that. But other than that, she got it.”
Your business can reach over 3 million women’s sports fans every single month!
Here at The IX Basketball and The IX Sports, our audience is a collection of the smartest, most passionate women’s sports fans in the world. If your business has a mission to serve these fans, reach out to our team at BAlarie@theixsports.com to discuss ways to work together.
It’s hard to tell that this is Lacan’s first year in the league based on how she has been playing. Against the reigning WNBA champion New York Liberty on Friday night, she scored 16 points, shooting 6-for-8 (75%), and grabbed one steal and four rebounds in the Sun’s 78-62 win.
“You can’t even tell it’s her first time in the big leagues,” Rivers said. “She’s transitioning very well. I know her first game here, she was helping us defensively, offensively, all of that. So I think she’s just getting adjusted, just to being over here. It’s her first time over here, and then just in the league itself, I think she’s doing really well. We get along in the locker room, so she’s fitting in great there. So I think once we both get more adjusted, we’re going to do big things for this team.”
Rivers is hoping to break Lacan out of her shell because she knows there’s another side to her that the locker room hasn’t seen yet. Rivers says she noticed “Leïla Lacan Core” videos on X (formerly Twitter) that showed her personality has a goofy side to it.
“One thing she doesn’t know that I know, but I know she’s goofy and she likes to be herself, but I don’t think she’s as comfortable here yet. I definitely think I’m gonna get her out of her comfort zone, make some TikToks … all types of goofy videos, get her out of her shell a little bit… So she doesn’t know I know she’s goofy, but I’m gonna get her out of that,” Rivers said.
Basketball in the United States versus overseas
Although the style of play overseas differs from the United States, it has helped to prepare Lacan to play against stronger and older veteran players in the WNBA, some of whom she’s already played with or against.
“I think [the game is] more settled, it’s less fast [paced overseas],” Lacan said. “We take more time to organize, the offense, more precisely, because we go slower; it’s a choice. I think the pace is super intense [in the United States], you have to go quickly to the other side, because the other team is already there, and my teammates are already there. So I think the pace and the physicality is the biggest difference.”
On Friday night, after the Sun’s victory, she talked to reporters about how she feels about the pace now that it has been about a month since she joined the team.
“I feel better but I still have things to work on and I think [that should] be the case [for] my entire career but I feel good,” Lacan said.
Want even more women’s sports in your inbox?
Subscribe now to The IX Sports and receive our daily women’s sports newsletter covering soccer, tennis, basketball, golf, hockey and gymnastics from our incredible team of writers. That includes Basketball Wednesday from founder and editor Howard Megdal.
Readers of The IX Basketball now save 50% on their subscription to The IX.
Lacan’s potential in the WNBA
Lacan has a lot of room to grow at the young age of 21, and she will continue to improve from where she is now. Her coaches and teammates have a lot of faith in her ability to develop as a player during her time in the WNBA.
“I always thought that she would be a great young player, that would be a great addition to us. She’s athletic, she’s long, she has a high basketball IQ. She gives a ton of effort defensively, and I think that she is adjusting and picking up very quickly what we’re asking her to do offensively,” Hodges said.
When Lacan first arrived, Meziane mentioned she was only able to practice with the team twice before her first game, but that how she practiced showed a lot of promise for the future. Lacan’s teammates and coaches frequently mention how hard-working she is.
“And it’s not, it wasn’t easy for her because she only practiced two times [before her first game]. We can feel that she has good potential, and she can impact our team in a good way. But I like her, she played with a lot of pace, so yeah, to be continued,” Meziane said with a gentle laugh.
Hartley knows the pressure that could be put on young players for what they can become, but has offered her impactful advice. Hartley was once in Lacan’s shoes, coming out of UConn and being expected to perform immediately in the WNBA.
“For the most part, go out there and have fun. She’s what, 21 years old, playing in the WNBA,” Hartley said. “There’s a bright future ahead of her. She’s a hard worker. She’s very hard on herself, so I just want to remind her sometimes to play through that and not put too much pressure on herself.”
It’s clear Lacan is ready to take on the WNBA and continue to positively impact the Sun. She has already helped them win three out of the nine games she’s played with them.
“I think something that helped me not to be scared [to play against some of the best players in the world] … is that I already played the final in the [2024 Paris] Olympics against the best team in the world because they won. It helped me to not be scared, because I’ve already done it,” Lacan said.
