Olivia Miles has emerged as one of the most developed rookies in the WNBA. She is presenting a convincing case for the Rookie of the Year title and is also one of the frontrunners in the league MVP race. Rarely does a player perform that well in their debut season. WNBA legend Sue Bird did not forget to give her flowers to the rookie.
Miles was eligible for the WNBA draft as one of the top prospects in 2025, but she decided to spend another season in college to continue developing her skill set. She was transferred from the University of Notre Dame to the TCU Horned Frogs. Former player-turned-analyst Bird highlighted that and praised the youngster for her decisions on the post-game show of WNBA on NBC and Peacock:
“Not every kid comes out of college and knows exactly who they are as a basketball player. Some are still figuring it out. She went through a lot, whether it’s her decision to go from Notre Dame to TCU, stay that fifth year, she just has gone through enough in her life as a basketball player where she believes she really believes in herself and her decisions.”
In Monday’s game against the Phoenix Mercury, Miles crossed the 30-point mark for the first time in her short career, leading the Minnesota Lynx to another 104-100 win, with 33 points, three rebounds, and eight assists. She is averaging 19.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, and 5.7 apg in 30.6 mpg.
The only criticism Miles ever got was her three-point percentage in her first month, which has really started to come up since then. She scored 41.3% in June and is currently shooting 47.4% from deep, with more than six attempts every game.
“This is why I took the year at TCU,” Olivia Miles outlines how taking an extra year before WNBA has helped her
Olivia Miles was candid with Sue Bird and other panelists after her 33-point game. Considering the surge in her performance, it’s natural that teams are throwing every technique at their disposal to stop her offensive run. In the post-game show on NBC, Bird asked the rookie about the change in defensive strategies and how she switches her playing style.
Miles responded:
“I have seen every type of coverage. I am kind of getting used to at that point. This is why I took the year at TCU to kinda go through every single ball-screen read, every type of defense, so it’s helped me a lot at this stage for sure.”
Moreover, Kayla McBride, who scored 37 points against the Mercury, has stood beside the youngster at every step of the season so far, given that the team is already short on superstar Napheesa Collier due to her ankle injuries. The Lynx have now won three consecutive games, as Miles continues to grow and lead the team.
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