Phoenix Wnba Team Hires Miller Former Usc Star To Be Coach, Gm, But Has No Desire To Play

The new Phoenix WNBA franchise, still weeks away from choosing a name, gave itself an attitude and instant identity Monday by hiring Cheryl Miller as coach and general manager.

“Run, run, run, run, run,” Miller said of her kind of team. “Play some outstanding defense. I want this team to be physical … to know the game.”

Sort of a capsule of the coach.

Miller, 33, took Southern California to two national championships as a player, helped the 1984 U.S. women win an Olympic gold medal, was a three-time NCAA player of the year, and is one of 11 women in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

She also coached the USC women to a 44-14 record from 1993-95 and a Pac-10 championship her first year.

In September 1995, Miller became an NBA analyst for Turner Sports. Last year, she was part of NBC’s Olympic basketball coverage team, and in November became the first female analyst to call a nationally televised NBA game.

Miller, who plans to buy a residence in the Phoenix area, will continue to work for Turner. She committed to the Phoenix job weeks ago, but the announcement waited while she worked out schedule conflicts.

As GM, the sister of Indiana Pacers All-Star guard Reggie Miller, will have control over every aspect of assembling and preparing the team for its June 21 opener. But she said she would never suit up.

“I have no desire whatsoever to play,” Miller said.