WNBA All-Star Coach Cheryl Miller Clearly Stated Desire to Beat Team USA

Robin Lundberg | Jul 19, 2024

Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY

The WNBA All-Star Game may just be an exhibition, but that doesn't mean the players involved don't want to win. Just ask Cheryl Miller, who will be coaching the squad representing the W against the roster making up Team USA for the Olympics. Miller said her group wants to "beat the brakes" off the team heading to Paris. Adding, "We got a game folks."

coach miller exposed them for wanting to beat the olympic team real bad and their reactions were so funny help pic.twitter.com/W12TKmxsdH

— vi ✰ (@ccloveoml) July 19, 2024

Of course there is extra attention around the format given Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark will suit up for Miller and was notably not picked to represent USA basketball. Clark praised Miller's energy ahead of the contest in discussing how much she is looking forward to playing. Cheryl of course has a special connection to Phoenix, site of the festivities, beyond just her status as a basketball icon. Miller was the first head coach of the Mercury.

“I called her ‘coach’ and she said ‘I don’t know about that we’ll have to see how I do during the game’”

-Caitlin Clark on being coached by Cheryl Miller in the All Star game 👀 pic.twitter.com/BRV6czVXqD

— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) July 19, 2024

Clark's Fever All-Star teammate Aliyah Boston tried to soften coach Miller's comments a bit saying, "We definitely want to win. We said in the huddle that winning is fun." Indiana's other All-Star Kelsey Mitchell added that Cheryl clearly communicated her own desire to get the victory to the squad. While Caitlin again emphasized her excitement for being under the tutelage of one of her idols when the trio fielded questions together.

Fever All-Stars asked what practice was like under Cheryl Miller & CM's comment on Team WNBA wanting to beat the brakes off Team USA.

K. Mitchell: "What she's done for us & paved the way for us to be here... we only can do right by her by competing the best that we can."

Full: pic.twitter.com/1Cr60LwZYc

— Matthew Byrne (@MatthewByrne1) July 19, 2024

CC has made the Olympics omission look extra silly of late in putting up unprecedented numbers on the court while working her way up the MVP rankings. All eyes will be on her, her Fever teammates, Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese, and the rest of the team representing the WNBA as they attempt to take down Team USA. We don't know how much additional motivation there actually is for Clark heading into the contest, but if the words of the coach are any indication, she and her All-Star teammates really want to win. Big.