Mohegan — In any meaningful discourse, you always get the hour when the rhetoric ends and the earnestness begins. And so it was Thursday in Neon Uncasville. You had the endorsements from some of the game’s intelligentsia, Brian Agler, Doug Bruno and Geno Auriemma. You had an occasional chuckle and many nods of the head in the gallery.

But somewhere in the middle Thursday at the unveiling of the Connecticut Sun’s new head coach, Curt Miller alluded to the two very components that his predecessor, Anne Donovan, didn’t understand or didn’t want to:

Communication with your players is the foundation of your program.

And in Connecticut, you embrace the monolith known as the UConn women’s basketball program, building a bridge between Storrs and the casino.

Such concepts were Waterloo for Donovan, whose commendable work reshaping the Sun’s roster got undermined by her aloofness with players and staff and her ambivalence — to be kind — toward UConn and its players.

Miller: “I don’t think it matters what level of basketball you’re coaching, communication ultimately ends up being the most important thing. I’ve prided myself through the years that I can communicate with my teams. Ultimately, my tenure will be judged on my communication with them.

“If they truly believe you care for them and you are invested in their lives, you can challenge them and coach them harder because they truly believe you care for them. The quicker I can establish relationships and have them understand that I care about them on and off the court, live openly to them and really talk about things other than basketball, that goes a long way.”

Sadly, that was the anti-Anne, whose clinical approach ultimately led to the feeling that the players didn’t want her back.

As for UConn? Auriemma was instrumental in turning the Sun on to Miller, who wasn’t on the original radar. Miller spoke of a friendship with Chris Dailey and told a wonderful story about his recruitment of Kia Nurse when Miller coached Indiana. He asked Auriemma if he could do without one more really good player. (We know how that turned out.) More than once, Miller said he wanted to become a “sponge,” soaking whatever wisdom Auriemma and Dailey would share.

Time’s passage will tell us whether Miller is a success here. But for now, it appears Miller understands his predecessor’s fatal flaws.

Hence, this offseason’s narrative, very new-coach-centric, isn’t any longer. The Sun have their man who comes highly recommended. Now it’s on the players. They made it clear they didn’t want Donovan back. Fine. Free country.

The new guy isn’t going anywhere for a while. Which means that Alyssa Thomas needs to come back with a jump shot. Chelsea Gray needs to come back in better shape. Alex Bentley needs to understand that being great means you don’t get 30 one night and four the next. The others need to get out of the training room and on to the floor.

Sun president Mitchell Etess said Thursday that while Miller is plenty familiar with rebuilding jobs, “this program is already built.” Indeed. And there’s the No. 3 pick in the draft coming, which will, most likely, morph into Moriah Jefferson or Tiffany Mitchell. Can’t miss.

And so while there’s the requisite adjustment period to any new coaching staff, the fanbase has the right to be impatient. They still fill the lower bowl at Mohegan Sun Arena, despite three straight years of an inferior product.

Donovan was a convenient target. She brought much of it on herself. She’s no longer a sufficient excuse. She’s gone. The new sheriff is here. This is a Curt Miller Production.

Optimism abounds around the Sun for the first time in a while. Miller will be animated on the sidelines. He promised up-tempo basketball with ample 3-point shooting. Chiney Ogwumike returns. All good.

And now it’s time, dear players, for you to contribute your part. Management did its job. Now you do yours. No more Anne. No more excuses. No more dark arena at playoff time.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.

Twitter: @BCgenius