WNBA DRAFT

April 10, 2023

Diamond Miller

Minnesota Lynx

Q. Can you take me through how you think your journey at Maryland and working at Maryland helped get you to this moment and this point today with your game?

DIAMOND MILLER: Yeah, Maryland was a progression. Starting freshman year, thinking I was going to be a star -- yeah, no. It definitely took a progression.

But I think all the growing pains made me who I am today, and I'm super grateful for it.

Just a lot of hard work and determination and having a coach that is constantly attacking you to get better is something that helps you and motivates you to be who you can be.

Q. I'm wondering what aspect you think of your game will translate the best to the W?

DIAMOND MILLER: I think just being an all-around player. I can do multiple things. I feel like I'm a three-level scorer and I also can play on both sides of the court. Yeah, I think that can help.

Q. What I'm curious about is, I want to understand the calculation you made and who and what helped you get there to say, I want to enter the draft, rather than returning for another year at school?

DIAMOND MILLER: Sometimes in life you don't want to stay in one place for too long. I felt like that's what I was doing if I stayed at Maryland. It would just be like because I'm scared to take the next step. I'm not scared. Transitions are always scary, don't get me wrong, but I think I'm excited and ready for a new journey in life, as well.

Q. A lot of people, when they talk about you athletically and as a player, say that you look like a pro, you're pro ready from the moment you step on the court. But what is it about your mental game and your mentality that makes you pro ready?

DIAMOND MILLER: I think I'm just never satisfied. Even now, I know I have so much more to develop. The player you see right now or the last game I played, I'm not going to be in another two years. I'm just constantly trying to develop and be a sponge to the game and constantly find new things.

Q. What do you know about just the Minnesota Lynx and their legacy winning the championships? Did you watch them growing up, and what have your conversations been like with Cheryl Reeve so far?

DIAMOND MILLER: I just remember watching Maya Moore. That's some big shoes to fill, and I'm not filling her shoes by any means. I'm going to be Diamond Miller as soon as I step on the new city.

But yeah, Cheryl, she seems tough already, so I'm really excited. We had great talks, and yeah, she's really passionate, and luckily for me, I kind of had a similar coach in college. So I think the transition of coaching styles might be the same. Super excited.

Q. Obviously you went through a lot of adversity at Maryland with your knee injury. How does it feel to accomplish your dream and be in the W now?

DIAMOND MILLER: I just want to say he's from UMD and his story of where he is right now is the reason why people keep going.

You're one of my reasons why I keep going, just because of your situation, and I feel like we just continue to work. You can't be sad in one place for too long, and somehow you just get back up even when you're not happy with the situation.

Q. I'm sure there's a lot of thoughts going through your head right now; how are you able to process this moment? I know this has been on your mind all season long, and now it's finally here. Are you able to articulate your thoughts after all this has happened?

DIAMOND MILLER: It's so funny that you said that because I was just thinking in my head, like what is going on right now? I'm still kind of in disbelief. But I think once everything starts settling in and I realize, okay, this is where I'm at right now, I'll be okay, but right now I still feel like a college student. I'm still in college classes. Until I think that ends, I'm going to be like, all right, I'm a pro.

Q. Obviously, like you mentioned earlier with Maya Moore, there's so many greats that come through this organization. What mark are you expecting to leave with this organization and how excited are you to just get after it?

DIAMOND MILLER: My expectations is just to be Diamond Miller every time I step on the court and to continue to be passionate and love the game the way I always did when I was a little kid. That is what I want to do.

Q. What does it mean this moment for you, hearing your name from the commissioner to be in the WNBA? What does it mean, the work that you put in through the years?

DIAMOND MILLER: I just think it just shows that when you work hard, success is going to come. Obviously the journey isn't smooth sailing as you would like it to be, but when you make it, even with those hard times and the times you feel like things are hard and you make it past those moments, it makes this moment right here a little bit more special because you know how much you went through to be in this moment.

Q. You've had a lot of experience adjusting to new teammates, new situations. Do you think some of the experience you went through this year with nine new players at Maryland and having the success you did is going to help you as you make that transition to the WNBA?

DIAMOND MILLER: Oh, absolutely, and I think throughout my life I've always had those changes. I did USA (Basketball). I went from high school to college. Transfers and stuff like that. There's always change going to come. What has to stay solid is your confidence in who you are as a person and what you bring to the table.