New deal for Sun’s Miller
The Sun give coach/GM Curt Miller a fouryear contract extension.
As the Connecticut Sun eye a franchise-first WNBA championship, they’ll continue to be guided by the coach who’s positioned the team within striking distance of a title the last two years.
The Sun announced Tuesday that head coach and general manager Curt Miller has signed a four-year contract extension through the 2024 WNBA season.
Per team policy, no details were released.
“Curt has done a tremendous job during his tenure,” Amber
Cox, vice president of sports at Mohegan Sun, said in a statement. “He’s built a culture on and off the court that has resulted in sustained
success, making this a destination for players, coaches and staff. I’m thrilled to extend Curt’s contract and continue our journey to help bring home the franchise’s first WNBA Championship.”
Miller, who inherited a team that had missed the postseason for three straight years before arriving ahead of the 2016 campaign, has compiled a 89-69 regular season record in five seasons in Uncasville. In 2019, Connecticut made the franchise’s first WNBA Finals appearance since 2005 before falling in a winnertake-all Game 5 to the Washington Mystics.
During the WNBA’s “bubble” season this summer in Bradenton, Fla., the Sun rebounded from an 0-5 start to secure a playoff berth and advance to the semifinals, where they ultimately lost in a Game 5 heartbreaker to the Las Vegas Aces.
Since 2017, Miller’s 75 regular season wins trail only Minnesota’s Cheryl Reeve (77), and his nine playoff victories are the second-best behind Washington’s Mike Thibault (12).
“I would like to thank the Mohegan Tribe leadership, along with Amber Cox, for their renewed commitment and faith in what we are doing,” Miller said in a statement. “I’m incredibly proud of the culture and sustained success we have established. So much of that has to do with the players we have had and continue to have here; and their excellence both on and off the court.
“Together, and along with my outstanding staff, I look forward to continuing to work to do all we can to bring a WNBA championship here to Connecticut. This team, franchise, and our loyal fan base deserve that, and I’m humbled to continue to have the opportunity to lead them.”
Prior to arriving in Connecticut, Miller was an assistant with the Los Angeles Sparks for one season but mostly coached at the collegiate level, spending 11 seasons at Bowling Green and two at Indiana. Since assuming the role of general manager in 2017, he most notably re-signed star center Jonquel Jones to a two-year deal and landed two-time WNBA champion DeWanna Bonner in free agency this past cycle.
The Sun recently announced that second-year player Beatrice Mompremier and third-year vet Natisha Hiedeman have signed qualifying offers that are technically training camp contracts. Both are likely to make the roster, so their one-year, non-guaranteed, minimum salaries will not be added to the salary cap until the start of the regular season. Alyssa Thomas and Jasmine Thomas are key unrestricted free agents this offseason.
Miller’s results as Sun head coach
2016: 14-20, did not qualify for playoffs
2017: 21-13, lost in second round of playoffs
2018: 21-13, lost in second round of playoffs
2019: 23-11, lost in Game 5 of Finals
2020: 10-12, lost in Game 5 of semifinals