Lynx’s Diamond Miller feeling even better for Year 2

Diamond Miller’s progression from her rookie season to Year 2 was supposed to go something like this: take advantage of all the time she got playing for the Lynx last summer, go overseas and use the competition there to push her forward and return to Minnesota ready to make a leap.

But a meniscus injury in her left knee changed those plans.

Miller felt some nagging pain in the knee as her rookie season — one in which she started all 32 games in which she played — was winding down. Miller, who was selected with the second overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft, signed to play for a team in Hungary. But after scoring 24 points in her first game, she decided the knee needed to be fixed.

There were options — physical therapy, meniscus removal or meniscus repair.

Miller chose the repair route, which came with a six-month recovery period.

“Honestly, I felt it was the best decision for me and the longevity of my career,” Miller said Sunday after the Lynx’s first training camp practice at Mayo Clinic Square. “So my offseason was a little different than a lot of other people.”

The rigors, and limitations, of rehabilitation, overseen by head athletic trainer Chuck Barta, make it difficult to work on game development. But Miller, who stayed in the Twin Cities all winter, did her best.

“She did work on her game,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. “And our people have been here working with her. It was, ‘Well, when you can’t move, you can work on your ball-handling.’ ”

Miller’s work ramped up as the knee improved. She was cleared for five-on-five work before the WNBA draft. She took full part in practice Sunday. There are no limitations yet on what she can do, but Reeve will monitor how she feels, in particular how Miller responds to early practices.

But Miller said she felt good after Sunday’s workout. “This is the best I’ve felt since surgery,” she said.

And even though she wasn’t able to concentrate solely on her game, Miller — who along with teammate Dorka Juhász was chosen to the WNBA’s all-rookie team — said she feels like she’s taken a step.

“I know it’s training camp, but I remember my last training camp,” Miller said, “and how I am this year, [the action] feels a little slowed down.”

Three players were still playing overseas and weren’t here for the start of camp. Juhász and Cecilia Zandalasini are in Italy for teams facing each other in the playoffs. So one of the two will be here for the start of the season, the other perhaps not. The other player not here is post Sika Koné, the player acquired in the trade that moved the Lynx from No. 7 to No. 8 in the draft.

Meanwhile, Napheesa Collier, Bridget Carleton and Kayla McBride — whose seasons overseas just ended — will not practice until later this week. Carleton and Collier were both present Sunday. McBride was away for a family event.

Candace Parker played 13 of her 16 seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks, where she became the face of the Sparks-Lynx rivalry. She was the player Lynx fans loved to hate. And now she’s retired. And Reeve, for one, will miss her.

“I mean, what a career,” Reeve said. “To be a player teams love to hate means you did something really well in your career. Incredibly talented in so many ways.”

Parker, a multitalented 6-4 forward, was league MVP and rookie of the year in 2008. She won MVP twice and was a part of three title-winning teams, including being finals MVP of the Sparks team that beat the Lynx in five games in the 2016 WNBA Finals.

“Candace is one of the players who helped the game get where it is,” Reeve said.

Originally scheduled for Saturday, the Lynx’s preseason opener against Chicago at Target Center has been moved to Friday.