By Jyesha Nance
When Olivia Miles was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, many wondered how well the former TCU standout’s talent would translate to the league. That talent translated quickly, as Miles was unanimously voted the Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year on Monday.
Miles averaged 19.8 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.7 rebounds for a Lynx team that finished with a league-best 33-11 record. Miles’s extraordinary rookie season has led her to surpass Caitlin Clark’s record of 769 points by a rookie; Miles reached 790 on Sept. 20. She was the only first-year player named to this year’s All-Star Game and won the Kia WNBA Rookie of the Month award every month from May through August.
Drafting Miles at No. 2 proved favorable, especially during the absence of Napheesa Collier, who didn’t make her season debut until mid-July following offseason surgery on both ankles. In her absence, Miles’s efforts helped the Lynx achieve a No. 1 overall seed.
Miles’s early standout performances made her one of six Minnesota players to be named Rookie of the Year. The list includes Crystal Dangerfield (2020), Collier (2019), Maya Moore (2011), Seimone Augustus (2006), and Betty Lennox (2000).
As the Lynx compete in Round 1 of the WNBA playoffs with the hopes of winning their fourth championship, Miles has the opportunity to not only help her team but also continue to build on an already outstanding rookie campaign.