Newton South Alumna Veronica Burton Signs With WNBA's Connecticut Sun

NEWTON, MA — Former Newton South basketball star Veronica Burton is on her way back to New England after the former Northwestern University defensive standout and WNBA first-round draft pick signed with the undefeated Connecticut Sun on Wednesday.

Burton was one of the dominant players in Newton South history before going on to Northwestern where the 5-foot-9 guard was named the 2022 WBCA Defensive Player of the Year as well as Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year for three straight years.

She declared for the WNBA draft after her junior season and was picked No. 7 overall in the first round of the 2022 draft by the Dallas Wings.

Burton played in 76 games for the Wings over two seasons, starting 19. She averaged 2.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

The Wings did not retain her for the start of the current season but now she finds a home in Uncasville, Connecticut after signing with the undefeated Sun (9-0) for the rest of the campaign.

"We're excited to add Veronica Burton to our roster," Sun General Manager Darius Taylor said in a release Wednesday afternoon. "She brings essential backcourt depth and an ability to defend and play the Connecticut Sun style of basketball."

The Sun are off to an undefeated start to the season heading into a showdown against the New York Liberty in their third Commissioner's Cup game at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Scott Souza can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter/X @Scott_Souza.