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Olivia Miles continues brilliant season in win over Wings
Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles (5) motions to the crowd after she is fouled during the second half against the Dallas Wings at College Park Center. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Lynx rookie Olivia Miles continues brilliant season in win over Wings

Less than midway through her first WNBA season, Minnesota Lynx guard already belongs in the conversation for a nod as an All-Star Game starter.

On Sunday, Miles led the Lynx to an 85-77 win over the Dallas Wings, finishing with 21 points, eight assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. As ESPNW noted afterward, it marked the 2026 No. 2 overall pick's 11th game this season with at least 15 points and five assists, the third-most by a rookie in WNBA history.

In the most recent update of All-Star Game fan voting, which determines ASG starters alongside media and player votes, Miles paced as the fourth-highest vote-getter among guards, putting her on track for one of the four backcourt starting spots.

Olivia Miles closing in on deserved ASG starter nod with performance vs. Wings

Miles' strong game against the Wings only enhances her resume. She's already established herself as one of the WNBA's best passers, a skill Miles demonstrated with a pair of exquisite assists to forward Natasha Howard in the fourth quarter as the Lynx (15-4) kept the Wings at a distance.

Miles' distribution was also responsible for four of Minnesota's nine first-half threes, with the star rookie ending the first half accounting for 21 of the team's 45 points.

As strong as Miles was offensively, her defense was arguably most impressive. When guarding 2026 No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd, who ranks fifth among guards in All-Star fan voting, Miles held the former Connecticut Huskies star to 3-of-12 shooting.

"Nine of those FGA were contested," ESPN Insights noted.

Miles showed off her toughness, too, not backing down from a confrontation with last year's No. 1 pick, Paige Bueckers, after being called for a tech on a foul against Wings forward Jessica Shepard.

In the fourth, Miles was on the receiving end of a flagrant 1 via Wings forward Maddy Siegrist but easily withstood the unnecessary contact.

Miles has quickly become one of the league's more exciting players, already doing enough to earn an All-Star starter recognition. She may have been on her way to the nod before Sunday, but her performance against the Wings should seal her fate.

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

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