French Teammates Nell Angloma, Leila Lacan Find Friendship, Grow Together With Connecticut Sun
· Yahoo Sports
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Journeying into the unknown can be a lonely experience. That would have been the case for French star Nell Angloma, drafted by the Connecticut Sun with the 12th pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. However, she quickly learned she wasn’t alone.
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The 20-year-old joined Leila Lacan, picked 10th in the 2024 WNBA Draft (she didn't play during the 2024 season), in Connecticut. Together, the two have become a dynamic duo on and off the court.
Lacan, 22, has driven with Angloma on long car rides, helping adjust to the rules of the road and of women’s basketball in America. She provides a trusting voice in an unfamiliar world. It’s made for an easier adjustment than most have attempted.
“She (Lacan) helped me a lot because I’m not very comfortable with my English,” Angloma told The IX Sports. “She can help me to translate some details.”
“What I can say is that, if you do your workouts and focus on the extra work after, you know that you will be ready when your name is called, no matter how long you spend on the court,” Lacan said.
When in Connecticut, spending about 50 minutes in a car each day can do wonders for camaraderie. It can also help push one another when it's needed.
Nell Angloma and Leila Lacan thriving together in Connecticut
Last year, Lacan scored 10.4 points per game and had 2.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists for Connecticut. This year, she's producing 12.1 points and 4.4 assists. Earning more playing time, her value has increased. Angloma is averaging 3.7 points per game, with 1.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists.
They aren’t the only members of the Sun that speak French. Coach Rachid Meziane, in his second year with the team, is a former Ligue Feminine champion. He understands more than anyone what they are going through, as he has embraced change in a quick period of time.
Angloma and Lacan are considered the future of the franchise, one that will be moving to Houston in 2027. Another adjustment will be needed, but unless they are traded, they will continue to work together. And that bond has made them stronger as players.
“I feel like they do a really good job of just like being themselves,” Kennedy Burke said. “At the end of the day, they’re still young, they need the experience. But I feel like they come in and bring that energy no matter what.”
“It’s not all new and all completely different because she can have a French speaker, you know. So there is kind of something that is familiar for her,” Lacan said.
Leila Lacan stats 2026
*Stats as of Aug. 11, 2026
StatLacanGames22Points12.1Rebounds2.0Assists4.4Steals1.9Blocks0.3Turnovers2.1Minutes28.8FG%42.33P%30.7FT%73.7Nell Angloma stats 2026
*Stats as of Aug. 11, 2026
StatAnglomaGames27Points3.7Rebounds1.4Assists0.6Steals0.4Blocks0.3Turnovers0.7Minutes10.1FG%43.23P%20.0FT%60.5