Many of her teammates played a full season overseas since the Minnesota Lynx were last in action.
Diamond Miller, meanwhile, played one game in Hungary, her time overseas cut short by needing knee surgery.
The second-overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft, Miller anticipated spending the offseason working hard to further develop her game after a rookie campaign that saw her average 12.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 26.1 minutes per game in 33 contests and be named to the league’s All-Rookie Team, along with center Dorka Juhász.
Instead, Miller took a long-term career view of having the surgery versus trying to play through the problem.
“This is the best I’ve been feeling since the surgery,” the second year forward said Sunday on the opening day of Lynx training camp. “We’re just constantly working through it, constantly talking to my doctors, talking to (Trainer) Chuck (Barta) doing what I need to do off the court to make sure I can play on the court.”
It took about six months for Miller to get prepared for the rigors of the upcoming 40-game season; that included dribbling while sitting.
“It’s definitely tricky when you’re injured (and) you’re not capable of playing to your full abilities, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get better, it doesn’t mean you can’t work on the
game, it’s just modified,” she said.
If one didn’t know, coach Cheryl Reeve said you couldn’t tell Miller is coming off surgery.
“Players like Diamond are so competitive,” Reeve said. “Diamond hasn’t played in a very long time, but players like that think they can get right back to where they were the last time they played. I think she looks very good. She did everything.”
The Lynx open the regular season on May 14 in Seattle, three days before the teams meet in Minnesota’s first home game. However, the Lynx have their lone home preseason game on Friday.
Backcourt stabilization
Kayla McBride should again start at shooting guard, but the point guard position has been bolstered by the acquisitions of veteran guards Natisha Hiedeman and Courtney Williams.
For Williams, the energy Minnesota showed in wanting her, was key in her wanting to sign with the Lynx as a free agent for her ninth season. The Lynx facilities are also a plus.
“It’s top tier,” she said. “It makes you want to get in the gym, it makes you want to get better.”
Williams started every game the past three seasons for Atlanta (2021), Connecticut (2022) and Chicago (2023). For her career, she’s averaged 12.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
“We really needed Courtney, just her energy, her effort, her intangibles that are not always on the stat sheet, is something that she brings to the table, and it’s something us young cats
constantly need,” Miller said.
Williams knows she’ll be a “talker” on the team.
“I like to show up every day and run my mouth, so I can lead by example,” she said as Miller stood beside laughing. “I’m definitely going to be a voice so she can see it and everybody else can hear and feel it, as well.”
Hiedeman, a five-year veteran acquired from Connecticut via trade, started 40 games for the Sun last season, averaging 8.5 points and 2.7 assists. She is a career 39.2% 3-point shooter, an area where Minnesota struggled last season.
Reeve sees more than just an offensive upgrade with the new additions.
“The defensive side of having some athleticism and speed means we’re going to be able to dictate a little bit more, be a little bit more bothersome at the point of a team’s offense,” Reeve said. “The ability to penetrate and get to the 3-ball there were some really good moments with that today.”
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