Curt Miller, Only Out Male Coach in US Pro Sports, Signs 4-Year Deal

The Connecticut Sun of the WNBA announced Tuesday they had inked a 4-year extension with current head coach and general manager Curt Miller. The only out male coach of a professional sports franchise in the U.S., Miller has led the team to four straight playoff appearances, a trip to the WNBA Finals in 2019, and an 89-69 record since joining the team in 2016. The Connecticut Sun is owned by the Mohegan Tribe of Native Americans, the first tribe to own a professional sports franchise.

"I would like to thank the Mohegan Tribe leadership, along with Amber Cox, for their renewed commitment and faith in what we are doing," Miller said in a statement released by the team. "I'm incredibly proud of the culture and sustained success we have established."

"Curt has done a tremendous job during his tenure," Amber Cox, vice president of sports at Mohegan Sun, said in the statement. "He's built a culture on and off the court that has resulted in sustained success, making this a destination for players, coaches and staff. I'm thrilled to extend Curt's contract and continue our journey to help bring home the franchise's first WNBA Championship."

Miller credited the much of his success with the team to the "players we have had and continue to have here; and their excellence both on and off the court."

The intense and hyper-competitive Miller once suffered a small stroke while coaching a game in 2012. He was sidelined for the next three games. He stepped away from the game briefly, citing health issues, before returning to coaching.

While Miller made no secret he was gay to family and friends, but didn't come out publicly until 2015, making him officially the only out male coach of a professional U.S. sports franchise. He told Outsports in an interview he regretted not coming out sooner.

"I wasted a lot of years not being a mentor and not being a role model for that next struggling young person who wanted to chase a career in sports -- be it a coach, be it a general manager, be it on the sidelines, or covering sports," Miller said last year.

With his contract extended through the 2024 WNBA season, Miller is now focused on bringing a championship to the Sun.

"This team, franchise, and our loyal fan base deserve that, and I'm humbled to continue to have the opportunity to lead them," he said.

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