Mohegan — The cameras and recorders had just been turned off en masse after Curt Miller, the Connecticut Sun head coach and general manager, discussed being able to draft California post Kristine Anigwe with the ninth overall pick in Wednesday night’s WNBA Draft.

As Miller walked away from the pack, he softly said, “Yes! Yes!” to a few reporters.

“I’m as excited about this draft since I arrived (in Dec. 2015) with that pick,” Miller said.

“(It’s a) really, really good night overall for us.”

Connecticut drafted Iowa State guard Bridget Carleton with its second-round pick (21st overall) and Virginia Tech forward Regan Magarity in the third round (33rd).

The Sun also dealt Lexie Brown, who they drafted with the ninth overall pick last year, to the Minnesota Lynx for the draft rights to Marquette guard Natisha Hiedeman, who was taken 18th overall Wednesday night.

“As a staff, there’s that five months of hard work (scouting), and then (the draft sometimes) is a little bit anti-climactic,” Miller said. “Tonight was anything but.”

Anigwe, 6-foot-4, led the nation in rebounding (533) and averaged 22.5 points and 16.2 rebounds her senior season. She was also the 2019 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award winner.

“She’s a player that some coaches thought was the best five (center) in the draft coming in because she has pro-ready skills,” ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo said during the network's draft broadcast. “She is an elite-level rebounder. (She) had more rebounds than any man or woman in Division I, II or III this past season.

“She’s a monster on the glass. She can finish with both hands inside. She’s a pro-ready talent.”

Miller said that for six weeks, he projected Anigwe being taken fourth overall by the Chicago Sky. He never thought she’d drop to nine.

“I still think there’s unannounced trades that were involved in some of the picks in the first round,” Miller said about Anigwe being available.

“We knew when she got past (number) seven that’s what was going to happen because (Stanford’s Alanna) Smith was going to Phoenix (at eight) with all of their Australian connections.”

Phoenix head coach Sandy Brondello is the head coach of the Opals, Australia’s national team.

“When (Baylor center) Kalani Brown was taken (seventh) by Los Angeles, we knew that Anigwe was going to be there (at nine), and our (draft) room erupted,” Miller said. “So we’re really, really excited.

“One skill set that really translates (from college) in this league is rebounding. JJ (Sun post Jonquel Jones) led the nation in rebounding coming out of college (in 2016) and she had an amazing (second) year rebounding.”

Jones set a WNBA single-season record with 403 rebounds in 2017.

“I think Anigwe’s rebounding translates immediately; the physicality,” Miller said. “There’s a real place for her.”

“We instantly had multiple teams throwing deals at us to get Kristine, to show you how much she was coveted by teams in this league. We had multiple deals come in. ‘Would you be willing to move her?’ Absolutely not. We can’t wait to get her here.”

Anigwe was asked what she was thinking as she was watching other players being drafted and waited for her name to be called.

“I’ve been saying what’s meant for me is going to be what’s meant for me,” Anigwe said. “I’m excited. Connecticut, they believe in me, they drafted me, and they wanted me. And to be wanted, to be in a situation where your coach really believes in you and trusts you, that’s something really, really special.”

Anigwe joins a crowded Sun frontcourt and roster. They have 12 players under contract with three posts who have been WNBA All-Stars — Chiney Ogwumike, Alyssa Thomas and Jones. They also have Morgan Tuck, the third overall pick in the 2016 draft, and Brionna Jones, who they drafted eighth overall in 2017.

Carleton (6-1) was the 2019 Cheryl Miller Award winner for the top Division I forward as well as the 2019 Big 12 Player of the Year. She averaged 21.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4 assists.

“We were literally talking about Bridget Carleton at nine if certain things happened in the first round that didn’t go out way,” Miller said. “So for her to be there at 21, we were ecstatic.

“She played a little bit of everything at Iowa State, including the four (power forward). Obviously, she’s a wing. Her natural position will be a three (small forward), but she’s a good enough ball-handler to play the two (off-guard). You can play her at the two, then you can post her up (and get) some mismatches. Her challenge is to guard someone at the two in this league, but she’s a natural three. She gives us a lot of depth, a lot of character, at the end of the bench.”

Hiedeman (5-8) averaged 17.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2 steals her senior year. She was the unanimous 2018-19 Big East Player of the Year and set the Marquette program record with 301 3-pointers.

“She’s used to playing in an up-tempo system,” Miller said. “She has an edge to her that she just wants a chance, so we’re really excited about that move.”

Miller said the Sun had been in discussion with multiple teams about trading Brown and had talked to Minnesota “for weeks.” Connecticut asked the Lynx to take Hiedeman.

Asked what made him willing to deal Brown, a number nine pick, for a player taken 18th overall, Miller said, “We like Hiedeman that much.

“Lexie had a tough year for us and was a little bit frustrated, obviously, with her role with us. So (it’s) a fresh start, bringing in Hiedeman to compete for that playing time. (It) was something that we were really excited about.”

Magarity (6-3) averaged 14.1 points and 12.8 rebounds as a senior.

“(She) is that stretch four that I love to coach,” Miller said.

n.griffen@theday.com