For Diamond Miller, her aspirations within basketball flourished the more she immersed herself in the game. Growing up in Somerset, New Jersey, Diamond remembers being inspired by her father—who played in college at the University of Villanova and professionally overseas—and two older sisters to pursue a journey of her own in the sport. As she began playing basketball, she was quickly captivated by its competitive nature and powerful culture. It was fun. It was a space that allowed her to be creative, challenge herself, and experience growth continuously. From there, Diamond never stopped playing. She worked day after day to improve her game and expand her basketball IQ. Throughout her time in high school, she was determined to play basketball at the Division I level. She was locked in. After receiving several offers, Diamond committed to the University of Maryland and officially embarked on her collegiate basketball career. Goal #1, check. During her time at Maryland, Diamond remained focused on building great personal habits, mental resilience, and working towards playing professionally. In her mind, it was all about embracing every opportunity to elevate and inch closer to her dream of playing in the WNBA.
Sure enough, after an incredible collegiate career at Maryland, she was able to check off another goal. With the second overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, the Minnesota Lynx selected Diamond. She had done it again! Goal #2, check. Currently in her first season in the WNBA, Diamond is eagerly immersing herself in this new chapter of her basketball career—learning from teammates, finding ways to make an impact on the floor, and identifying opportunities to leave her mark beyond the game. Recently signing with Under Armour as well, she is excited for the collaborations that will stem from this partnership to celebrate women's sports and inspire the next generation of athletes. As she continues to write her story in the league, Diamond is looking forward to embracing every new experience full force and fostering her personal brand in the years to come. Make way, Diamond Miller is here to stay!
Diving into your time in college, as you embarked on your collegiate career at Maryland, how was that transition from high school to college like for you?
Honestly, freshman year was really hard for me. First of all, I knew what I was signing up for. There were four freshmen coming in and we had a lot of upperclassmen that year. I knew coming in that it was going to be a fight, but I didn't realize all the hard work I had to put in until I was in the midst of it. I was like, “Oof, I'm getting beat up out here.” It was really hard for me to adapt to just not being the only one. When you're in high school, you're really the only go-to player. Then when you go to college, you're not the go-to anymore. How do you adapt? The transition wasn't easy for me by any means. I mean, freshman year was a struggle. But, I'm happy that freshman year was so hard for me because I was able to learn from it and have a better season my sophomore year.
Reflecting back, how did you work to navigate through some of those challenges and overcome them?
Yeah! In the midst of it…I would talk about my first year (where) I don't think I adapted very well. I just remember constantly feeling like I was going through the motions—wishing the season was over. I had the wrong mentality when it came to stuff like that. When you're struggling, you gotta find certain ways to handle it. Freshman year, I don't think I knew the resources that I know (about) now. Freshman year, I didn't talk to a sports psychologist or anything; I was just figuring everything out by myself. I don't recommend that because that's very hard. It’s like: “You've never been in this situation before, and you're trying to figure it out by yourself with no help?” I don't recommend that. Speaking back on my past, I would have told myself to talk to someone a little bit more and to get the insight of the mental side of the game. That was one of the reasons why I think I struggled my freshman year. Mentally, I wasn't prepared for the physicality and the mental state to play at and perform at the D-I level constantly.
How do you think your game elevated throughout your four years at Maryland to prepare you for the next level?
I think what helped is just having teammates who are also really good because that competitive edge just keeps you going, you know? I had really good teammates who were really good, so it just helped me to get better because I didn't want to be the weak link on the team—nobody does. So you do what you have to do to perform, and play with and against the top players in the country. Fortunately for me, I got to do that every day in practice. Obviously in games, we were playing with each other so it kind of just worked out that way. Nobody wants to be a weak link and you're always hungry—once you do something, you always want more.
"It's a surreal moment, honestly. I’m blessed because a lot of people don't get the opportunity to hear their name called on Draft Night. Hearing my name was something that made me realize that I’ve made it, that I’m actually a professional athlete, and that my hard work didn't go unnoticed throughout my collegiate career. But, when you hear your name, it’s also the start of a new journey. You realize that college is now behind you. So hearing my name was kind of a ‘goodbye’ and a ‘hello’ at the same time."
- Diamond on that moment of hearing her name being called and achieving her dreams of playing in the WNBA.
Transitioning into the professional world and starting your journey in the WNBA, what has this experience been like for you thus far?
It's definitely been fun, but definitely challenging. It’s something (where) I feel like I'm starting to grasp the game a little bit more, and that's exciting to me because I don't think I’ve played my best basketball yet. Knowing that really gives me encouragement that I could do this, and I feel really good. I feel it coming. I'm getting more confident. I'm getting more comfortable with my teammates and stuff like that, so I'm really excited for these next couple of games. I'm just so eager (and) am really confident.
As you begin your first season, what are some personal goals that you have?