The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Sun ready to rise in shortened season
Curt Miller is fairly certain the WNBA will see a new level of exposure during the 2020 season.
“We are going to get eyes on our game like we’ve never gotten before,” Miller said during a conference call on Tuesday. “There’s a starving for sports in this world right now.”
The league formally announced a day earlier, in agreement with its union, plans to host a 22-game regular season and traditional playoff format at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. On-site training camps will begin in early July.
That he knows. What Miller — the Connecticut Sun head coach and general manager — doesn’t know is what the average day will look like for himself and others within the league’s bubble.
“How we’re going to run on a day-to-day basis in Florida, when almost all of us have never been on the IMG campus — some of us are former college coaches and may or may not have recruited there at one point — there’s still a lot of logistical questions evolving, and probably will be unknown until we finally get there and get up and running,” he said.
There’s still plenty to be sorted out in the days and weeks ahead both in terms of roster building and managing the health and safety of players. Will he have to wear a mask while coaching? How will players’ bodies respond to an uncharacteristically long layoff ? Will the Sun have their full roster?
Such is the uncertainty that comes with trying to navigate the complexity of a pandemic and fears of a second wave of cases. As of Tuesday, Florida had reported over 80,000 cases and more than 3,000 deaths from COVID-19.
Players have until June 25 to notify their teams whether they plan to play this season. Those who are considered high-risk for COVID-19 can opt out and still collect their full salary.
For now, Miller anticipates most, if not all, 11 players to opt in. If not, Miller said there should be enough time to sign somebody else and put them through proper testing before training camp begins.
“We will be very supportive of them,” he said. “These
are unprecedented times and a lot goes individually into each person’s decision.”
Connecticut was active during the offseason, resigning Jonquel Jones and trading for DeWanna Bonner, Briann January and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis. The Sun also drafted 6foot-1 guard Kaila Charles from Maryland in the second round (23rd overall). The roster remains one of the league’s best, but Miller said it’s hard to know how they’ll coexist until he sees them in action.
“We have a vision of their
strengths and weaknesses,” Miller said, referring specifically to Bonner, January and Mosqueda-Lewis. “We can watch crazy amounts of film, but until we work with them and blend them with our other pieces that we already have … we don’t know how it’s truly going to work until we get on that practice court.”
The WNBA was set to have a 36-game regular season, beginning on May 15, but the league postponed its start indefinitely amid concerns over the outbreak of the coronavirus. Multiple reports indicate the season may now start as early as July 24.
The shorter season
means there will be less margin for error, particularly for teams with as much promise as the Sun. And that has Miller a bit, well, anxious.
“With 22 games, everything’s magnified,” Miller said. “You have a bad week, you have a bad 10 days … you really can flip in the standings if you have a bad stretch.”
GIVING PLAYERS A PLATFORM
Sun vice president Amber Cox commended the WNBA for being at the forefront of the push for criminal justice reform, pointing back to Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever.
Cox said the Sun have discussed ways to use their own platform to help create change.
“This is not a moment in time. This is a movement,” Cox said. “I’m sure all of you feel it too. This is different. And we’re not going to stop until we don’t have to talk about it anymore. …
“I don’t think there’s ever been a time in the history of the league where all the players have been together in one space. It’s really just a unique opportunity to have conversation.”