The Houston Comets haven’t even returned to the court yet, but they’re already making moves like a franchise with something to prove.
After the WNBA disbanded the Comets in 2008, the team is back in the headlines as it prepares to return to the league officially.
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So, in a move that shows just how serious this revival is, a key figure is stepping away from ESPN to take on a front-office role with the franchise that will soon become the Houston Comets following the relocation of the Connecticut Sun.
The franchise hired longtime analyst Kevin Pelton as its assistant general manager and vice president of analytics, marking the first major hire tied to the team’s $300 million transformation. This job also marks Pelton’s first front-office role since serving as a statistical consultant to the Indiana Pacers from 2010 to 2012.
As the Connecticut Sun plays its final season in Uncasville in 2026, Pelton will immediately start working with the front office, which includes general manager Morgan Tuck and team president Jen Rizzotti. So the hire couldn’t have come at a better time.
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Pelton has a reputation as one of basketball’s sharpest analytical minds, having covered both the NBA and the WNBA since joining ESPN in 2013. But now he will move from breaking down the numbers to building a roster from the ground up.
With an expansion draft and free agency pool of over 100 players looming in this offseason, the franchise is already laying the groundwork for what comes next. And they have made it clear they won’t rebuild slowly.
How a deal is bringing the Houston Comets back to life
The Comets were never just a team; they were ‘The Team.’
With stars like Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson, the Comets built a dynasty that other WNBA teams still can’t match. It all started with a run that both dominated the league and, in turn, defined its early years.
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They won four straight championships from 1997 to 2000. But then, just like that, they were gone.
By 2008, ownership uncertainty and a failed sale left the franchise without a future. And with no buyer stepping in, the WNBA made the call to fold the team entirely, turning one of its most iconic brands into a ghost of the past. However, now they are all set to return after nearly two decades.
May 13, 2006; Washington, D.C, USA; FILE PHOTO; Houston Comets at Washington Mystics — Houston forward Sheryl Swoopes brings the ball up court. Mandatory Credit: Sean Dougherty-USA TODAY
But they aren’t going to be an expansion team like the Golden State Valkyries, the Toronto Tempo, or the Portland Fire.
The Connecticut Sun, a franchise that has built its own identity as a consistent contender, is being sold to Tilman Fertitta for $300 million.
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While Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca also attempted to purchase the Sun from the Mohegan Tribe for $325 million, the WNBA canceled that deal. That opened the door for Fertitta, who also owns the Houston Rockets, to step in and secure the franchise.
So the path forward will look a little like this:
Because the core of the Sun’s roster is expected to carry over, meaning Houston won’t just be getting a name back; it will already have a team, a structure, and a sense of direction in place.
