WNBA, Blog
Olivia Miles: The Case for the Best Guard Under 25 in the WNBA
Posted on
June 27, 2026
by
Darion Robinson
Who Is Olivia Miles?
The Minnesota Lynx were already one of the most storied franchises in WNBA history — four championships, a Finals appearance in 2024, and Napheesa Collier anchoring the defense — before the 2026 Draft. Then they added rookie point guard Olivia Miles with the No. 2 overall pick, and the Lynx look like an entirely new team.
Miles, 23, is a 5-10 guard from Norman, Oklahoma who built one of the most decorated college resumes in recent memory at Notre Dame and TCU before making an immediate, historic impact in her first WNBA season. As of June 2026, she is averaging 18.5 points, 5.6 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game — leading the Lynx in both scoring and playmaking — and has already shattered multiple WNBA rookie records.
The argument is straightforward: Olivia Miles is the best guard under 25 in the WNBA right now.
From Notre Dame Phenomenon to ACL Comeback
A Historic College Career
Miles entered Notre Dame as a five-star recruit and immediately rewrote the record books. As a freshman in 2021-22, she became the first player in NCAA Tournament history — men’s or women’s — to record a triple-double, posting 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists against UMass. She followed that with All-ACC honors and AP All-America recognition, establishing herself as the premier playmaking guard in women’s college basketball before she was legally old enough to drink.
The Injury That Almost Changed Everything
In February 2023, Miles suffered a torn ACL against Louisville that cost her the remainder of the season, the entire 2023 NCAA Tournament, and ultimately a full calendar year. For a guard whose game is built on pace, burst, and change of direction, the injury raised legitimate questions about whether she would return the same player.
She returned better.
TCU and the Statistical Reinvention
Rather than rushing to the WNBA Draft, Miles transferred to TCU for the 2024-25 season, where she averaged 19.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.8 steals across 38 games. Her three-point shooting — previously a weakness — reportedly jumped from the low 20s into the 40-percent range, turning her jumper from a liability into a genuine weapon.
By the time she left TCU, Miles had:
-
12 career triple-doubles — third-most in Division I history, trailing only Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark.
-
Entry into the 2,000 points / 800 rebounds / 800 assists club, one of just four players in NCAA history to reach all three milestones.
-
A FIBA AmeriCup gold medal with Team USA, where she led the tournament in assists.
Olivia Miles' WNBA Rookie Season: A Historic Start
Draft Night and Day-One Impact
The Minnesota Lynx used a traded pick to select Miles No. 2 overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft, handing her the point guard keys for a contending franchise from the opening tip. She responded in her very first game with 21 points and 8 assists, joining Candace Parker, Cynthia Cooper, Sue Bird, and Dawn Staley as the only players in WNBA history to post at least 20 points and 5 assists in a debut.
Across her first three career games, Miles became the first player in WNBA history to record 45-plus points and 20-plus assists, and joined Sue Bird and Candace Parker as the only rookies to post 10-plus points and 5-plus assists in each of the first three career games.
Record-Breaking Performances
Miles has not slowed down since. Highlights of her 2026 rookie season include:
28 points, 8-of-11 from three, 7 assists, 3 blocks vs. Golden State Valkyries — breaking the WNBA rookie record for made three-pointers in a single game and becoming the first player ever to post 8 threes, 7 assists, and 3 blocks in one game.
31 points on 12-of-15 shooting vs. Los Angeles Sparks — with a WNBA rookie record 24 first-half points, joining Paige Bueckers as the only rookies in league history to score 30-plus on 80-percent shooting.
21 points and 8 assists in her WNBA debut despite a one-point loss, setting the tone for what was to come.
The Numbers That Tell the Story
Through her first 17 games, Miles is sitting at 18.5 points, 5.6 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game — ranking among the league leaders in both scoring and assists, and doing so with elite efficiency. She ranks seventh in the entire league in total assists and is the only rookie in the top 21 in that category.
Her plus/minus of +12.3 leads all players in the league, including veterans and All-Stars. Minnesota has gone on a seven-game winning streak with her running the point, and the Lynx have the best record in the WNBA.
Why Olivia Miles Is the Best Guard Under 25 in the WNBA
She Does Everything — Efficiently
The stat line tells part of the story, but the efficiency behind it makes the case. Miles is flirting with a 50-40-90 season — shooting around 50 percent from the field, pushing 40 percent from three after the deep-range overhaul she made in rehab, and converting at over 91 percent from the free-throw line. For context, a 50-40-90 season is considered the gold standard of offensive efficiency in basketball.
She is not padding stats on a losing team. She is doing this as the primary ball-handler for a franchise built to win now, against the best defenses in the league, while shouldering the full weight of running a championship-caliber offense every night.
The Triple-Double Threat That Never Stops
Triple-double upside is rare. Consistent triple-double upside from a guard under 25 is almost unheard of. Miles enters the WNBA with 12 career triple-doubles, third-most all time at the Division I level, and her skill set — elite passing vision, backcourt rebounding, and scoring at all three levels — means the threat of a full line is present every single night she plays.
Her assists numbers in the WNBA already suggest she is among the top playmakers in the league regardless of age, and the combination of passing, rebounding, and scoring is what separates her from guards who can do two of the three well.
She Makes Everyone Around Her Better
Veteran guard Courtney Williams has openly said she is happy sliding off the ball so Olivia can run the show — and the numbers prove why. With Miles handling primary creation duties, Williams is getting cleaner looks at her spots, Napheesa Collier gets more efficient touches in the paint, and the entire offense runs through a quarterback who does not force situations.
Head coach Cheryl Reeve has said Miles was prepared to log significant minutes from Day 1 — and Miles’ floor-general instincts have already made Reeve’s fast-paced offensive system look elite.
The Historical Rookie Comparisons
When media members reach for comparisons to put her debut in context, the names that come up are Sue Bird, Candace Parker, Cynthia Cooper, and Dawn Staley — four players who are either Hall of Famers or on their way. Being the only rookie to match their debut stat lines is not a coincidence of circumstance; it is a reflection of an unusually high basketball IQ paired with an unusually complete skill set entering the professional game.
How She Stacks Up: Miles vs. the Competition Under 25
The WNBA’s under-25 guard landscape is historically strong in 2026. Caitlin Clark is averaging 21.2 points and 8.2 assists per game for Indiana. Paige Bueckers is in her second season posting 50-40-something shooting splits for Dallas. Sonia Citron ranked top three in three-point shooting percentage as a rookie while defending All-Stars.
What separates Miles from that group is the combination of efficiency, rebounding, and defensive activity that none of the others currently match. While Clark averages around 38.3 percent from three and generates more raw totals on higher usage, Miles does more with less volume — flirting with 50-40-90 while also contributing nearly 5 rebounds and over 1.5 combined stocks per game. Bueckers is the most comparable stylistically, but Miles brings a size, rebounding, and defensive edge that tips the balance.
One analytical breakdown noted that Miles has a better current case than either Clark or Bueckers for league MVP consideration, citing her efficiency edge and the direct impact she has on Minnesota’s win column.
The Veteran Environment Accelerating Her Growth
One underrated factor in Miles’ fast start is the locker room she walked into. The Lynx are not a developmental program — they are a franchise with championship DNA, veterans who know how to win, and a coaching staff with WNBA Finals experience.
Napheesa Collier, who grew into a franchise leader herself by learning from Sylvia Fowles, has embraced the role of co-star and mentor for Miles — providing a model of what winning basketball looks like from someone who has lived it. Courtney Williams, one of the savviest guards in the league, has been an immediate influence in showing Miles how to leverage her skill set at the professional level.
The result is a rookie who is playing with the composure and decision-making of a third-year player, making plays in the fourth quarter of close games and showing no sign of the hesitation that usually limits first-year point guards on winning teams.
What Comes Next for Olivia Miles
The trajectory here is straightforward. A player averaging 18-plus points, 5-plus assists, and nearly 5 rebounds per game as a rookie — on 50-percent shooting, leading the best team in the league — does not regress to being merely good.
The immediate stakes are a WNBA Rookie of the Year Award that appears to be hers to lose, followed by what figures to be the first of many All-Star selections and, eventually, a run at the league’s highest individual honors. Minnesota’s playoff ceiling, with Miles steering the offense alongside Collier, makes a deep postseason run a real possibility in her first professional year.
The longer arc is even more compelling. Miles is 23 years old. She has already rewritten records at every level she has played. She came back from an injury that derails careers and emerged a more complete player. She is running a dynasty franchise’s offense on night one of her professional career and making it look easy.
The best guard under 25 in the WNBA today? The case for Olivia Miles is not a debate. It is a fact supported by every box score she has produced since the opening tip of the 2026 season.
As the NBA enters a new era, a fresh crop of young coaches is making waves. Highlight the rising stars in the coaching realm, including Taylor Jenkins (Memphis Grizzlies) and Monty Williams (Phoenix Suns), whose leadership and tactical prowess are driving their teams to newfound success. Witness the next generation of coaching legends in the making.
References:
ESPN.com – Olivia Miles Player Profile & 2026 Stats — espn.com
The Athletic / New York Times – Olivia Miles Rookie 3-Point Record vs. Valkyries — nytimes.com
CBS Sports – Miles Sets WNBA Rookie Mark with 24 First-Half Points vs. Sparks — cbssports.com
USA Today – Olivia Miles Proving Worthy of Rookie of the Year Hype — usatoday.com
Newsweek – Lynx Rookie Olivia Miles Joins Elite WNBA Company in Debut — newsweek.com
Athlon Sports – Olivia Miles Joins WNBA Legends With Historic Start to 2026 Season — athlonsports.com
Fox Sports – Olivia Miles and the Minnesota Lynx Have Been an Instant Match — foxsports.com
Sporting News – Lynx’s Olivia Miles Already Becoming Minnesota’s Leader — sportingnews.com
Boston Globe – Minnesota Lynx Guard Olivia Miles Making a Splash in Her Rookie Season — bostonglobe.com
High Post Hoops – Olivia Miles MVP Argument Over Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers — highposthoops.com
Sports Illustrated / Women’s Fastbreak – Olivia Miles Rookie Stat Comparison — si.com
The Ringer – The WNBA’s Top 25 Players Under 25 — theringer.com
ESPN – WNBA Newcomer Impact Rankings 2026 — espn.com
Bleacher Report – Updated Top 25 WNBA Player Rankings — bleacherreport.com
KSTP / Fox 9 – Minnesota Lynx Draft Olivia Miles No. 2 Overall — fox9.com
