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A few short weeks ago, the Connecticut Sun drafted NC State guard Saniya Rivers as part of a highly touted draft class. On Wednesday, she endured the most heartbreaking loss imaginable: the passing of her mother, Demetria.
The Sun released an official statement offering its condolences to the Rivers family.
“The Connecticut Sun organization would like to extend our sincerest condolences to the Rivers family for the loss of Demetria ‘Dee' Rivers, Saniya's mother,” the statement read. “We ask Sun fans and the WNBA community to keep Saniya, her family, and her loved ones in their thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.”
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) April 30, 2025
Rivers was 47 years old and died of congestive heart failure. Demetria was present for her daughter's draft day.
Saniya entered the draft are leaving an indelible mark at NC State. She was a catalyst behind their first Final Four appearance in 2024 and became the only player in program history to score over 1,000 points, grabbed 600 rebounds, and dish out over 300 assists.
Her breakout performance came in November 2023. Rivers scored a career high 33 points in an “emotional” upset over UConn 92-81.
The Sun are in the midst of a rebuilding stage following a series of trades of some key players. Rivers is coming to the Sun on the basis of her defensive abilities, athleticism, and versatile style of play.
It turns out that basketball was in her blood, passed down by her mother.
Sun's Saniya Rivers played basketball like her mother
Rivers' journey to the Sun started when she was a young girl in Wilmington, North Carolina. Her mother was a basketball player and a raised an entire family of ballers.
Her grandmother got her a mini-hoop when she was just two years old. Saniya began playing the game when she was five.
On draft night, Saniya wanted to honor her family for instilling with the love of the game.
“How could I not pursue going to the league?” Rivers said to Sean Hurd of ESPN's Andscape. “[My family] wants to keep seeing me dribble that ball and get what I deserve. I just want to do this for them.”
Like mother, like daughter.
