The Minnesota Lynx are one of the WNBA’s most formidable teams, and Olivia Miles’ addition has only made them better this season. The second pick of the 2026 WNBA draft was a promising name in college, and she has proved why in just nine games into the 2026 season. Her teammate, Teaira McCowan, explained what was different about playing with the rookie.
Miles has taken over the facilitating duties perfectly, as she leads the franchise in assists, averaging 6.3 per game. Her ability to find open players and pass the ball has even left her teammates in shock. Talking about one thing Miles has that was “hard to find in other guards,” McCowan said:
“Oh it’s great, she’s actually like a phenomenal point guard, it’s crazy how she can find us in open areas and I’m like “I didn’t think you seen me” but you saw me… I feel like that’s tough to find in a point guard because they don’t know how to pass to a big but it’s just so natural for her.”
Even with star performer Napheesa Collier out of the rotation due to her ankle injuries, the Lynx have managed a 7-2 record. While Courtney Williams has handled the scoring duties, Miles is putting up Rookie of the Year stats every game. She is one of the frontrunners for the title.
Olivia Miles has already found herself in elite company
Olivia Miles became just the third player in league history to put up at least 10 points and five assists in each of her first three games. The other two on the list are Candace Parker and Sue Bird. The Lynx, who were already a championship squad, have seemed to land another franchise cornerstone in Miles.
In the last game against the Phoenix Mercury, Miles posted a double-double with 19 points and 10 assists. Moreover, she is averaging 1.7 steals per game, which makes her one of the league’s most talented two-way guards. She was named the Rookie of the Month.
The only area Olivia Miles needs improvement, if it’s necessary, is her 3-point shooting. She is shooting 11.1% from deep, but she has all the time in the world to work and improve on it. If she manages to drain some shots from the outside, she can be one of the brightest rookies of her class.
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