Mohegan — The Connecticut Sun couldn’t lose when Duke’s Lexie Brown and UConn's Kia Nurse were both there for the taking with the ninth overall pick in Thursday night’s WNBA Draft.

Sun general manager and head coach Curt Miller was still conflicted and feeling very uneasy, though.

Connecticut drafted Brown instead of Nurse, despite the latter's UConn pedigree and Miller's longtime relationship with her family.

“There’s always going to be that pressure,” Miller said about taking UConn players. “And we always know the added benefit (attracting Husky fans). And some people are going to be disappointed.”

Miller coached Roxi Nurse McNabb, Kia’s aunt, for four years as a Syracuse assistant. Tamika Nurse, Kia’s older sister, transferred after her junior year to play her final season at Bowling Green, where Miller was the head coach at the time. He also tried recruiting Kia to play for him at Indiana.

“They (fans) don’t realize how hard it is not to take (someone from) a family that I truly care about,” Miller said. “Someone that I would’ve given my left arm to coach in college. Someone that I would do anything for.”

Miller opted to go with Brown, who can play both guard positions, instead of Nurse, who will play off-guard and small forward.

The Sun didn’t have a true point guard behind All-Star Jasmine Thomas last season. They now have two potential reserves in Brown and Leticia Romero, last year’s second-round pick who sat out the season due to her Spanish national team commitments.

Connecticut drafted California forward Mikayla Cowling with its third-round pick (No. 33). It also acquired wing Bria Holmes, a former Hillhouse High star, from the Atlanta Dream earlier in the day for this year's and next year's second-round picks. The New Haven native will miss this season due to pregnancy

Brown, 5-foot-9, was considered one of the top guards in the draft. She averaged a team-high 19.4 points and 4.4 assists with 4.4 rebounds at Duke. She was also the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was fifth in the nation in steals (3.7).

“(Brown) really helps with a need,” Miller said. “I’m excited with her versatility at the one and the two (point guard and off-guard), her ability to really stretch the floor at the one and the two. She’s such a great defender.”

Brown was a career 37-percent 3-point shooter. She’s also just the third player in NCAA Power Five conference history to accumulate over 2,000 points, 500 assists, 300 steals and 200 3-pointers during her time at Duke and Maryland.

“I’m a tenacious defender,” Brown said. “I have a very high basketball IQ. I can play the point or the two. I have a mid-range game. I don’t really like contact much, but I can deal with it. And I really like to shoot the three."

Analyst LaChina Robinson said during ESPN's draft broadcast, “What I really love about (Brown) is her defensive prowess. Watching her on the basketball this season was a treat.”

Acquiring Holmes factored into the Sun’s decision to take Brown. Holmes (6-1) was drafted 11th overall by Atlanta in 2016. She’s averaged 7.6 points and 2.7 rebounds over two seasons. She averaged 15.5 points during the Dream’s two 2016 playoff games.

Holmes helped Hillhouse win three straight CIAC championships and was a unanimous All-Big 12 first team pick in each of her final three seasons at West Virginia.

“She’s not shot the ball well yet in the pro game, but she’s capable,” Miller said. “She’s a different type of three than (starter Shekinna) Stricklen because she can really attack (the rim). … In transition, she’s a tremendous slasher. Her length and her background of playing at West Virginia, she’s been coached hard and she’s a good defender.”

Cowling (6-2) averaged 9.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists her senior year at Cal.

Brown already has a connection to the Sun. Her father, former NBA star Dee Brown, was the Orlando Miracle's head coach in 2002 before the franchise relocated to Mohegan Sun the following year.

Asked about the prospect of Connecticut fans cheering for her after playing against UConn, Brown chuckled, “I just saw Kia in the elevator (at Nike New York Headquarters) and she’s like, 'welcome to the Connecticut crazy group. … I’m so excited. Their fans are amazing.”

n.griffen@theday.com