When Ginni Burton heard the Connecticut Sun was hosting the first ever WNBA game to be played at TD Garden, she was really hoping they’d play Dallas.
The mother of four still remembers the precise moment the historic game was announced. Her youngest daughter, Veronica Burton, had been playing for the Wings at the time and, unknowingly, was on the cusp of getting cut heading into the regular season’s start.
“Oh please let it be Dallas, please let it be Dallas, please let it be Dallas,” she repeated to herself.
So when speculation ceased and the anticipated announcement that the Los Angeles Sparks would play was unveiled in early June, Ginni remained positive about women’s basketball in Boston. But she couldn’t help but be a little disappointed that it wouldn’t be her daughter taking center stage.
“I thought, ‘Oh, well, that’s a shame,’” she said. “I’ll go anyways because it’s in Boston.”
Then, Veronica signed with the Sun on June 5.
“Now it’s crazy that she plays for the Connecticut Sun, and it will be her home game,” Ginni said. “I would never have allowed myself to go there mentally. And to be the first ever WNBA game to be played there, we could never have made this up.”
The festivities on Aug. 20 will also be a full circle moment for Veronica’s father, CBS Sports Boston Sports Director Steve Burton, who has spent countless nights at TD Garden covering Celtics and Bruins games.
“I was hoping one day I’d get a chance to see one of my girls play at the Garden,” he said. “It’s exciting, the irony is, my daughters didn’t get a chance to play there in high school. My son played at the Garden, but none of my girls ever did. And now she gets that chance for the first time.”
The Garden game will be a family affair for the Burtons. As one of her first assignments with NBC Sports Boston, Veronica’s sister and former Lehigh basketball guard, Kayla, will cover it.
“Neither one of us were in this position a couple months ago,” Veronica said. “To be able to play at TD garden and for her to cover it is a really special experience.”
From former coaches and teammates to friends and family, it’s safe to say Veronica won’t be short of supporters as she hones her humility, focus and faith guarding against the Sparks.
“It’s going to be really special just to be able to play in my home city,” Veronica said. “Obviously, my dad being really strong in that sports world there and being a sports anchor, I think just the support from everyone in Boston, and my teammates from young ages and just my coaches and everyone that has played a role in allowing me to get here, being able to kind of have them back me in person at TD Garden will be really special.”
