Maryland star Diamond Miller makes WNBA Draft decision

Maryland guard Diamond Miller announced her intent to declare for the WNBA Draft in a Thursday tweet.

A former five-star recruit from Somerset, New Jersey, Miller exploded into a reliable scorer for the Terrapins since she started in 28 of her 29 games during the 2020-21 season. She took spots on the All-Big Ten First Team and the Associated Press All-American Second Team in 2023 after she led a Big Ten-contending team in scoring, according to the team's website.

Miller led Maryland in points (19.7), rebounds (6.4), steals (2.1) and blocks (1.3) per game while tying with senior guard Elisa Pinzan for second in assists (2.9) per game.

Miller's decision to enter the draft nearly completes a star-studded class that reached about 90 players by Wednesday. Players like South Carolina forward Aliyah Boston and Virginia Tech center Elizabeth Kitley, two projected first-round picks in the WNBA Draft, are still gearing up to face off against Iowa and LSU in the Final Four on Friday, respectively.

Miller has the opportunity to help usher in a new era for a Minnesota Lynx team that once won four WNBA titles in seven years. The Lynx went 14-22 in the final year of former WNBA MVP center Sylvia Fowles' career, gaining their first losing season since 2010. Two of Minnesota's top scorers, forward Aerial Powers and guard Kayla McBride, will return to the roster in 2023. 

Both Powers and McBride are set to become unrestricted free agents in 2024. Should Boston declare for the draft and be taken at No. 1, Miller's size, tenacity to play on the inside and all-around talent could make her an ideal pick for the Lynx to fill multiple needs at once as they search for a center to succeed Fowles.

The 2023 WNBA Draft is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on April 10 at Spring Studios New York in Manhattan, according to the WNBA. The draft will be broadcasted on ESPN.