NEW YORK — Tina Charles, the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder, is retiring from the league, the eight-time All-Star announced Tuesday on social media.Charles, who had 4,262 rebounds in her career, also finished as the league’s No. 2 all-time scorer behind Diana Taurasi. The 15-year veteran scored 8,396 points in the regular season.“Today, I officially announce my retirement from basketball. Fifteen years at the professional level and a lifetime of love for this game,” Charles wrote in her post. “I’ve experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows, and I’m thankful for all of it. Through it all, I learned how to show up. When doubt got loud and narratives were written about me, I kept showing up. That’s the New Yorker in me, where resilience is built, not talked about.”Charles was the No. 1 pick by the Connecticut Sun in 2010 after helping the UConn Huskies win consecutive NCAA championships in 2009 and 2010. She was the AP Player of the Year in 2010.She played with the Sun until 2013 before a blockbuster trade sent her home to New York.She starred in her hometown through the 2019 season. She sat out the WNBA bubble season the next year before playing in Washington, Phoenix, Seattle and Atlanta. Charles came back to Connecticut last season and started 42 games while averaging 16.3 points and 5.8 rebounds.The 37-year-old center helped the U.S. win three Olympic gold medals as well as three World Cup championships. She earned WNBA MVP honors in 2012 and was the league’s top scorer in two seasons. The one thing Charles never had a chance to do was play in a WNBA Finals.“This game gave me everything, and I’ll miss …
