Olivia Miles Makes Honest Admission About WNBA Rookie Season

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect

Olivia Miles Makes Honest Admission About WNBA Rookie Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Yagya Bhargava | Last updated Aug 26, 2026 8:42 AM ET

The Minnesota Lynx have built the best record in the WNBA this season, and they’ve done it while missing Napheesa Collier, their best player, for all but 11 games due to injury. That absence has forced other pieces of the roster to step up, and few have done so as consistently as Olivia Miles.

Through 37 games, the rookie is averaging 19.7 points, 6.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds, numbers that have put her in the same MVP conversation as Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson.

Las Vegas Aces star Wilson may carry the stronger MVP resume on paper, but it doesn’t capture everything Miles has meant to Minnesota’s season, especially given how much the Lynx have leaned on her with Collier sidelined.

Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles celebrates against the Golden State Valkyries.Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect

That rise led to a question on the “Welcome to the Party” podcast recently, where Miles was asked whether she ever expected to be in this position so early in her career. Her answer made clear that even she has been caught off guard by how quickly things have come together, and she pointed to her teammates as a big part of why.

“Not at all,” Miles said. “I mean, this has completely taken me so far away. Like, I knew that it would be fun and I knew that I’d be good and I’d be okay in the league, but this has truthfully surpassed everything that I’ve ever imagined. And it’s more so the people that I get to do it with are so special. My vets are incredible… having a supportive environment allows you to play your best.”

At 5-foot-10 and 23 years old, Miles has spent her first year setting the pace for a Lynx offense that already has a playoff spot locked up, creating looks for Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams and Natasha Howard while making opponents account for her on every possession.

Undersized or not, she has controlled games at a level that usually takes years to develop.

Drafted only a few months ago, Miles has gone from unproven rookie to a player Minnesota now builds around, a jump few first-year players in the league have managed this fast.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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