‘It’s Been Crazy’: Diamond Miller Details Whirlwind Trade to Dallas Wings Ahead of Debut vs. New York Liberty
Diamond Miller was all smiles at shootaround Tuesday morning, but her journey to the Dallas Wings has been anything but smooth.
“It’s been crazy. Pretty crazy to say the least,” Miller said. “Just a lot of traveling. This is my first time getting traded, so it was very new to me and how the process goes, but it moves very quickly, and I’m happy to be here now.”
Miller was acquired by Dallas in a trade that sent DiJonai Carrington to the Minnesota Lynx. Now, she’s set to make her debut against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center.
Building a New Identity in Dallas
Miller’s focus is now on carving out her role within a revamped Dallas wing rotation. She’s appeared in 25 games this season, averaging 4.1 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 9.7 minutes per game.
“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Miller said. “This is a new team I’m playing with, so it’s just creating an identity for myself here and making an impact on the team.”
Asked what areas she’s prioritizing individually, Miller pointed to her all-around skill set.
“Honestly, I’ve always felt like I’m an all-around player, so just really expanding my game in areas where I get to show it a little bit more,” she said. “So it should be a lot of fun.”
Tuesday’s game against the Liberty is a special occasion for Miller, with a large crowd of family and friends expected in attendance.
“There’s a lot of people coming,” Miller said. “This is our only trip that we play here, so everybody’s like, ‘I gotta come.’ It’s really exciting to see everybody again, and I just need a hug.”
How Diamond Miller Found Out She Was Traded
Miller offered a candid recounting of how she found out she was being traded, noting that she first became suspicious during a game she didn’t play in, given the Lynx led by as many as 53 points against the Las Vegas Aces.
“I definitely was picking up some things that happened during practice, even though when I had meetings, they said it wasn’t associated with it, but clearly it was,” Miller explained. “After the game is really when I knew something was up. I mean, we were up 50, and I didn’t play, so that was really shocking to me. Then we had a talk on the plane, and that’s when she told me what she was doing.”
That confirmation came directly from Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve.
“Yeah, that’s when she confirmed what I was probably speculating, you know,” Miller said.
The conversation happened on the team flight to Seattle.
“Yeah. So then I went to Seattle, stayed there for a couple hours, then flew to Minnesota to pack some things,” Miller said. “Then I came to Dallas, did my physical, cleared the trade, and now I’m here. So it’s been a whirlwind to say the least.”
Excited to Grow with the Dallas Wings
Miller is energized by the opportunity to join a youthful Dallas team that is seeking to build a new identity.
“I think that we’re so young and we have so much potential, and that’s exciting,” Miller said. “I think most of us came from places where we’ve felt undervalued, so now it’s time where we can expand our games. So it’s really exciting.”
During her time with Minnesota, Miller said she learned valuable lessons from veteran leaders, including Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, and Courtney Williams.
“That’s one thing I can say—Minnesota has taught me so much,” Miller said. “Just the constant ability of excellence, possession after possession after possession, is something that you see they do very well. But that’s also something I want to bring to the Wings organization. I learned from Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams—those players are really, really good. So you get to learn a lot watching them play, obviously.”
Confident in Expanding Her Game
Miller has knocked down threes at a career-best clip this season, shooting 53.8 percent from beyond the arc. Her confidence in that area remains strong.
“Yeah, I just feel like if the opportunity’s there, shoot it and be confident,” Miller said. “I shoot threes and it’s something I’m very comfortable doing. It’s not like I don’t shoot threes in practice, so it feels comfortable. And people are leaving me open.”
When asked if she felt undervalued in Minnesota, Miller chose her words carefully but was candid.
“I see what you’re trying to do,” she said with a smile. “I just think I wanted more from there, and I don’t think I would’ve gotten it there. So if that’s undervalued, that’s definitely undervalued. I feel like I’m a hard worker and I deserve more playing time, and I’m excited to see what happens here.”
Leaning on Familiar Faces in Dallas
Miller acknowledged the comfort of having Myisha Hines-Allen as a teammate again after their brief time together in Minnesota last season.
“Yeah, it’s kind of cool because I know these people, but I don’t really know them,” Miller said. “So having Mai was definitely a familiar face. I’m like, ‘Hey, Mai!’ She’s been awesome. She’s also from New Jersey, so we’ve always had that connection, and yeah, she’s been a very awesome vet.”
She also contacted former Maryland teammate Kaila Charles after the trade. Charles went through training camp with the Wings and played 17 games for the organization.
“Yeah, I called Kaila Charles because she was here, and I was like, ‘So what’s the tea? How is it out here?’” Miller said. “She told me it’s a great opportunity for me and stuff like that. Kaila has always been someone I leaned on even at Maryland, so it was very exciting to know that I still have her in my back pocket all the way at home.”
Adjusting to New Systems, Feeling Wanted
Adjusting to a new system in Dallas is a challenge Miller is eager to embrace.
“It’s a different system than Minnesota, so just learning everything on the fly has been an adjustment,” Miller said. “They use different terminologies and stuff like that, so I’m just trying to pick up on everything as fast as I can.”
Miller said her early conversations with Wings leadership, including general manager Curt Miller, have made her feel welcomed and valued.
“They’re excited to have me, and that’s what you want to feel—wanted,” Miller said. “The fact that they are excited to have me here and see my potential really excites me.”
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