Sun’s Miller To Coach East All-Stars

Connecticut Sun head coach Curt Miller will be coaching the East
Conference in Saturday's WNBA All-Star Game in Seattle. He
replaces New York's Bill Laimbeer who will miss the game
in order to tend to family matters.

UNCASVILLE – The WNBA announced on Wednesday that Connecticut Sun head coach Curt Miller and his staff will coach the Eastern Conference in Verizon WNBA All-Star 2017 on Saturday at KeyArena in Seattle. Miller and his staff will replace New York Liberty head coach Bill Laimbeer and his staff while Laimbeer tends to a family matter.

“We’re excited as a staff, but we know our place,” Miller said. “This is Bill Laimbeer and his staff’s opportunity and we are just substitutes. We are very excited about being in first place as we head into the All-Star break and we look forward to coaching this great All-Star team…But we are just filling in and we are going to do the best job we can for Bill and that great staff in New York.”

Under Miller and assistants Steve Smith and Nicki Collen, the Sun have rebounded from a 1-5 start to hold the third-best record in the league (12-8). Connecticut’s Jonquel Jones and Jasmine Thomas will start for the Eastern Conference while Alyssa Thomas was selected as a reserve Tuesday.

Laimbeer earned the right to coach the East All-Stars after the Liberty finished with the best regular-season record in the conference in 2016.  The Connecticut staff was selected to fill in by having the best record in the conference as of July 10.  Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve will coach the Western Conference team after leading the Lynx to the West’s top record last season.

It was also announced that forward Rebekkah Brunson of the Minnesota Lynx and guard Sugar Rodgers of the New York Liberty have been named by WNBA President Lisa Borders to replace two injured players in Saturday’s game. Brunson, 35, will be making her fourth All-Star appearance and first since 2013.  She will replace Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner, who suffered knee and ankle injuries on July 14. 

Rodgers will make her All-Star debut in her fifth WNBA season.  She will fill the spot vacated by Washington Mystics forward-guard Elena Delle Donne, who was selected by fans to be a starter for the WNBA Eastern Conference team. The former Delaware star injured her ankle on July 14.  Miller, in his role as East head coach, will choose who replaces Delle Donne, the league’s MVP in 2015, in the starting lineup.

The 26-year-old Rodgers is third in the WNBA in made three-point shots (39).  She is averaging 12.7 points per game and posting career highs in rebounds (4.2 rpg), assists (2.6 apg) and steals (1.2 spg). 

The WNBA All-Star Game will start at 3:30 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, and will be televised live on ABC. Tickets are available by clicking HERE.

The Sun will return to action on July 25 when they will host the Chicago Sky at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Tip-off is at 7 p.m., and tickets are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office or on ConnecticutSun.com.