Curt Miller is a builder. That’s what newly appointed chief administrative officer and general manager Karen Bryant liked about him as a candidate for the Los Angeles Sparks head coaching job.

Bryant helped hire the two-time WNBA Coach of the Year away from the Connecticut Sun in October as Sparks interim president at the time.

“He is known for sustained success, not one-off successes,” Bryant said in an introductory press conference Wednesday. “And he very quickly emerged as the right person for this role and the right person to help lead the transformation of the Sparks, to really put us in position to have sustainable success.”

Miller built a program first at Bowling Green. In his 11 years at the helm, he elevated the women’s basketball team from winning 41 percent of its games and zero titles in his first three seasons, to a 72 percent win rate and five conference regular-season and tournament championships by the time he left.

Then, came the Sun job, where Miller helped the team rebound from a four-year playoff drought to earn trips to two WNBA Finals and two semifinals in his final four seasons with the franchise.

But between his years as a college and WNBA head coach, there was a pit stop as an assistant. L.A. was the city that introduced Miller to the WNBA, and the Sparks the team that prepared him to coach in it.

In 2015, Miller spent one season on the Sparks staff, and it had a profound effect on his career.

“My first year in the league was such a special experience that I thought, if the opportunity to return ever presented itself, it would be too good to pass up,” Miller said. “It was a dream opportunity. It’s an iconic franchise.”

It’s also a franchise in need of some help, but with a solid foundation upon which to build.

After multiple playoff disappointments and a 5-7 record to start the season, Los Angeles parted ways with coach and GM Derek Fisher in June and endured roster upheaval, including the departure of Liz Cambage via contract divorce. Fisher had previously faced criticism for his inability to re-sign key free agents Candace Parker and Chelsea Gray — both of whom went on to win WNBA Championships with their next teams — and for focusing too much energy and salary-cap space on Cambage and third-year guard Chennedy Carter.

Miller knows he has a lot of work to do, and quickly. The Sparks, an original WNBA franchise and the owners of three WNBA championships, expect to win.

“As a coach, you want to be with an organization that has high expectations,” he said. “That is where you desire to be.”

With the drama-filled 2022 season behind them, Miller is turning his attention to the Sparks’ locker room.

“Culture creation is paramount,” he said. “We are not going to cut corners. We are excited about building a culture, and for me, culture starts with preparation. That is always our first pillar.

“Championships are won in the locker room before they are won on the court.”

That process starts with re-signing Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike, who are both free agents this offseason. Chiney came to the Sparks in 2019, and then sat out the 2020 season due to health concerns during the pandemic but returned in 2021. Her sister, Nneka, has been with the Sparks since she was drafted by the franchise in 2012.

Nneka was one of the lone highlights during a difficult 2022 season for the Sparks. The veteran was named to the All-WNBA Second Team and earned All-Star honors. After the season, she said she would like to stay with the Sparks but lamented that “being the one that scores all the points is a heavy cross to bear.”

“I’m excited about speaking with them in free agency,” Miller said. “They are important pieces. They are both so talented. But more importantly, they are great leaders by example. They are tremendous in the locker room, and players around the league gravitate toward them and want to play with them.”

The Sparks plan to be aggressive when free agency begins. Miller and Bryant both acknowledged that former Sparks star Candace Parker is on their radar, though no official talks will take place until free agency negotiations begin on Jan. 21.

Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

Hailey Van Lith is reportedly on her way to TCU, says Talia Goodman of The Next Hoops.

The former Louisville star joined LSU for the 2023-24 season, but a disappointing run in Baton Rouge saw her enter the transfer portal once again at the season’s end. Van Lith opted to use her fifth year of eligibility versus declaring for the WNBA draft.

Van Lith was admittedly less effective as a Tiger. Her field goal percentage decreased from .411 in 2022-23 with Louisville to .388 at LSU. She also went from averaging 19.7 points per game to just 11.6, due in part to a change of position from shooting guard to more of a point guard role.

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At an end-of-season banquet last week, LSU coach Kim Mulkey used her speech to wish Van Lith well, calling her "one of the hardest working players that I’ve ever coached."

"Her aspirations were to get drafted this year," Mulkey said, according to NOLA.com. "And she realized, 'I need another year, and I need to go back to a place where I can relax and get back to my normal position.'

"And what do you do? You hug her, and you wish her well."

The decision to commit to TCU may come as a surprise after Van Lith paid a visit to Mississippi State last weekend. The Horned Frogs finished out the 2023-24 season 21-12 overall, coming in 9th in the Big 12 and scoring an average of 69.5 points per game. The program also made headlines in January when they held mid-season open tryouts in response to an onslaught of sidelining injuries.

For the first time in the NWSL's 12-year history, fans can now buy their own goalkeeper jerseys. And while replica goalkeeper jerseys representing all 14 NWSL teams hit the market on Wednesday, some didn't stick around for long. 

Fans across women's soccer have long vocalized their discontent over the position's lack of availability on social media, often comparing the shortcoming to the widespread availability of men’s goalkeeper jerseys. And as the NWSL has grown, so has demand — and not just from those in the stands. 

"To have goalkeeper kits available for fans in the women’s game as they have been for so long in the men’s game is not only a long-awaited move in the right direction, it’s just good business," said Washington Spirit goalie Aubrey Kingsbury in an team press release. "I can’t wait to see fans representing me, Barnie [Barnhart], and Lyza in the stands at Audi!"

just went looking at #nwsl goalkeeper kit stock out of curiosity — Alyssa Naeher's $145 kit already sold out S-XL (league announced GK jerseys on sale 3 hours ago)https://t.co/8bYA7tlwcx

— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) April 17, 2024

Business does, in fact, appear to be booming. Alyssa Naeher’s Chicago Red Stars kit sold out less than three hours after the league's announcement. Jerseys for other keepers like DiDi Haračić, Abby Smith, Michelle Betos, Katelyn Rowland, and Bella Bixby aren’t currently available via the Official NWSL Shop, though blank goalkeeper jerseys can be customized through some individual team sites. Jerseys start at $110 each.

"This should be the benchmark," said Spirit Chief Operations Officer Theresa McDonnell. "The expectation is that all players’ jerseys are available to fans. Keepers are inspiring leaders and mentors with their own unique fan base who want to represent them... I can’t wait to see them all over the city."

Decorated gymnast Simone Biles took to the popular Call Her Daddy podcast this week to open up about her experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, revealing she thought she was going to be "banned from America" for her performance.

After Biles botched her vault routine due to a bout of the "twisties," she withdrew from the team final as well as the all-around final in order to focus on her mental health. She later reentered the competition to win bronze in the individual balance beam final.

In her interview with podcast host Alex Cooper, Biles admitted to feeling like she let the entire country down by failing her vault attempt.

"As soon as I landed I was like 'Oh, America hates me. The world is going to hate me. I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now,'" she recalled thinking. "I was like, ‘Holy s---, what are they gonna say about me?'"

"I thought I was going to be banned from America," she continued. "That’s what they tell you: Don’t come back if not gold. Gold or bust. Don’t come back."

Widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, Biles has hinted at a desire to join her third Olympic team in Paris, though her participation won't be confirmed until after the gymnastics trials in late June. She holds over 30 medals from the Olympic Games and World Artistic Gymnastics Championships combined, and if qualified, would be a sure favorite heading into this summer’s games.

Caitlin Clark is reportedly close to cementing a hefty endorsement deal with Nike.

The Athletic was the first to break the news Wednesday evening, commenting that the deal would be worth "eight figures" and include her own signature shoe. On Thursday afternoon, the publication tweeted that the deal would top $20 million, according to lead NBA Insider Shams Charania. Both Under Armour and Adidas are said to have also made sizable offers to the college phenom and expected future WNBA star.

The new agreement comes after Clark's previous Nike partnership ended with the conclusion of the college basketball season. She was one of five NCAA athletes to sign an NIL deal with the brand back in October, 2022. 

Considering Clark's overwhelming popularity and Nike's deep pockets, the signing's purported value doesn't exactly come as a shock. New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu’s deal with the brand is reportedly worth $24 million, while NBA rookie and No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama’s deal is rumored to weigh in at $100 million. And in 2003, LeBron James famously earned $90 million off his own Nike deal. 

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Clark’s star power continues to skyrocket, with the NCAA championship averaging 18.9 million viewers and the 2024 WNBA Draft more than doubling its previous viewership record. Following the draft, Fanatics stated that Clark's Indiana Fever jersey — which sold out within an hour — was the top seller for any draft night pick in the company’s history, with droves of unlucky fans now being forced to wait until August to get their hands on some official No. 22 gear.

In Wednesday's Indiana Fever introductory press conference, the unfailingly cool, calm, and collected Clark said that turning pro hasn’t made a huge impact on how she’s conducting her deals.

"If I’m being completely honest, I feel like it doesn’t change a ton from how I lived my life over the course of the last year," she said. "Sponsorships stay the same. The people around me, agents and whatnot, have been able to help me and guide me through the course of the last year. I don’t know if I would be in this moment if it wasn’t for a lot of them."