Connecticut Sun focusing on picking up the pace in training camp

After ending lifeless final within the WNBA in tempo in 2021, the Connecticut Solar are centered on dashing issues up this season.

“It’s our phrase this 12 months,” Solar head coach and normal supervisor Curt Miller mentioned of tempo Monday following the crew’s second day of coaching camp. “It’s a part of our pillar.”

Miller mentioned the sluggish tempo was intentional final season, because the Solar performed closely via WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones and the WNBA’s Most Improved Participant Brionna Jones down low. With the offseason acquisition of Courtney Williams, who beforehand performed for the franchise from 2016-19, and Alyssa Thomas again wholesome, taking part in sooner will likely be an enormous focus. The important thing for the crew this season will likely be combining these two ideas in order that publish gamers are nonetheless getting sufficient touches.

“It’ll be a piece in progress,” Miller mentioned. “… There’s going to be a high quality line. It’s simple simply to say we’re going to play sooner, we’re going to play with extra tempo. There’s nonetheless received to be an intent to play via one of the best gamers on this planet which might be on our crew.”

One among Miller’s teaching mantras is “unintended penalties.” He acknowledges that one other unintended consequence of taking part in at a sooner tempo is turnovers. So, over the offseason, he and his employees went via final 12 months’s movie and gathered clips the place the Solar turned the ball over in transition in an effort to right these errors, together with limiting empty possessions and compelled photographs.

Enjoying an up-tempo fashion of basketball was additionally on Miller’s thoughts when scouting this 12 months’s draft class and figuring out which gamers to herald on coaching camp contracts. He mentioned he deliberately selected athletes who thrived in transition.

Miller has been “actually happy” with the crew’s first two draft picks, Nia Clouden (Michigan State) and Jordan Lewis (Baylor), via the beginning of camp. Clouden has been significantly spectacular in regard to tempo.

“Nia Clouden is as marketed. She will actually rating the basketball,” Miller mentioned.

“She’s performed with a tempo that she will be able to discover success early in camp. That’s uncommon — the composure, the poise that she has to not get sped up.”

Guard Natisha Hiedeman mentioned she’s been impressed with the newcomers and the way aggressive camp has been. With most of the crew’s veterans nonetheless abroad, she has taken it upon herself to be extra of a pacesetter with these gamers. Hiedeman’s season in Russia was lower quick because of the conflict with Ukraine, which additionally allowed her to work extra on her power and agility, which interprets immediately into the fashion of play the Solar are striving for.

“Each day I used to be within the weight room,” Hiedeman mentioned. “The primary two days of coaching camp, I’m already seeing, like simply me being explosive and simply up and down the courtroom flying.”

With a sooner tempo in thoughts and a core of gifted gamers returning, Hiedeman says the target for the Solar this 12 months is obvious.

“We need to grasp that banner up in right here,” Hiedeman mentioned. “That’s actually what we’ve been attempting to do. That’s our finish purpose. However on the identical time we’re not attempting to maneuver too far forward. We’re simply attempting to take it daily, apply by apply, recreation by recreation — however on the finish our purpose is to win a championship.”

With many veterans nonetheless abroad, Miller additionally supplied an replace on the crew’s coaching camp arrivals on Monday. He was significantly happy to have Jonquel Jones current for the primary time in a number of years, after her season abroad was additionally lower quick.

“I’m not going to take the smile off my face all the day. I imply, JJ is in camp,” Miller mentioned. “You possibly can really feel a pep in her step, simply really feel like she’s in a superb place mentally. And he or she simply modified the entire vibe right now in day two — her presence, her management, you may really feel her voice. … I pinched myself how fortunate we’re to have her in camp.”

Jasmine Thomas has arrived again in the US and is anticipated to return to camp in Connecticut someday this week. It stays to be seen when she is going to truly begin training with the crew, although.

“We are going to work along with her and be affected person along with her,” Miller mentioned.

Beatrice Mompremier’s season in Hungary has ended. She is presently coping with some passport points in getting overseas, however Miller mentioned the Solar are hopeful she’ll have the ability to depart [Tuesday] on a flight to Miami. He isn’t certain when she’ll arrive in Connecticut.

“That may doubtlessly then power us into a primary lower in some unspecified time in the future,” Miller mentioned of Jasmine Thomas and Mompremier’s arrivals. “Possibly on the finish of the week.”

Brionna Jones and Alyssa Thomas are competing on the identical crew within the Czech Republic. Their membership is up two video games in a finest of 5 sequence and can play the third recreation Tuesday. In the event that they win to finish the sequence, Miller mentioned each would “tentatively” arrive in Connecticut by April 24 and undergo medical testing on the twenty fifth earlier than being cleared to apply.

“We might have 4 extra folks again into camp possibly as early because the twenty fifth,” Miller mentioned. “We’re creeping in the suitable course, knock on wooden.”

As for the timing for the arrivals DeWanna Bonner and Yvonne Anderson, who’s on a coaching camp contract, Miller mentioned he has “no concept.”

Lila Bromberg could be reached at lbromberg@courant.com and @LilaBBromberg on Twitter.