Olivia Miles
Olivia Miles is the frontrunner for ROTY
Minnesota Lynx star Olivia Miles has turned heads during her historic rookie season.
Affectionately known as “The Spectacle,” Miles has quickly become a must-watch WNBA superstar. The former TCU standout currently ranks seventh in total points (720) and sixth in total assists (222).
Last month, the 23-year-old guard became the fastest WNBA player to reach 500 points and 150 assists, doing so in just 26 games. Per ESPN Insights, Miles surpassed the previous marks set by Paige Bueckers (28 games) and Caitlin Clark (29 games).
Given how quickly Miles has adapted to the pro level, former Minnesota Timberwolves star Jeff Teague believes that she should have been the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
“She’s the best player in the WNBA,” Teague said on a recent episode of Club 520. “She should win Rookie of the Year and MVP, just like Candace Parker. She’s cold. Ain’t no way in hell she wasn’t the No. 1 pick.”
Teague, who played three seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, also offered an interesting comparison to the Dallas Wings selecting Azzi Fudd over Miles.
“That’s like Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan,” Teague added.
Sam Bowie, a former Kentucky standout, was selected second overall in the 1984 NBA Draft. Although he carved out a respectable 10-year NBA career, his pro career frails in comparison to Michael Jordan, who was taken one selection later.
Famously, Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six championship wins, including to three-peats in the 1990s. When he retired for the final time in 2003, Jordan ranked third on the NBA’s all-time leading scoring list.
It’s too soon to predict that Miles will dominate the league the way Jordan did, but she has certainly shown more superstar potential than Fudd.
Lynx Star is Miles Ahead in ROTY Race
Calling Olivia Miles the Rookie of the Year frontrunner would be an understatement. Miles, who was selected to the 2026 WNBA All-Star team, is essentially a lock to win the award.
Miles’ 20 points per game are the fourth-highest average among WNBA rookies in history, trailing only Cynthia Cooper (22.2), Seimone Augustus (21.9) and A’ja Wilson (20.7).
Notably, Miles’ current pace is better than former Rookie of the Year winners Paige Bueckers’ (19.2) and Caitlin Clark‘s (19.2) rookie season averages.
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As Teague pointed out, Miles has a legitimate shot to be crowned Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player.
Candace Parker is the only player in WNBA history to achieve such a feat, doing so in 2008.
Olivia Miles Has Earned Respect Among Peers
Well before Olivia Miles was named to the WNBA All-Star selection this summer, her Lynx teammates acknowledged the rookie’s greatness.
“Oh, it’s been amazing,” Kayla McBride said of playing alongside Miles. “She’s one of the most talented players I think I’ve been around. Just her pace. I think sometimes, as a rookie, the game can feel so sped up. It seems very slowed down for her, the way that she analyzes every possession.
“You can literally watch her grow possession by possession, quarter by quarter. I think she’s one of the most talented players to come into the league in a long time.”
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Jalyn Smoot Jalyn Smoot is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has nearly 10 years of experience in local and national media, including print and digital. He previously covered the Texas Rangers for MLB.com and the Philadelphia 76ers for Metro Philadelphia. Smoot is a St. Louis born writer that now resides in Dallas. More about Jalyn Smoot
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