The Minnesota Lynx knew exactly what they were getting when they selected Olivia Miles with the No. 2 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. The 23-year-old has wasted no time taking over the league and emerging as one of the frontrunners for Rookie of the Year.
Miles’ impressive start to Year 1 has put opposing players on notice, including Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham.
Olivia Miles’ Stellar Rookie Season Draws Praise from Fever’s Sophie Cunningham
Miles captured May’s Rookie of the Month award after averaging 15.4 points and 5.9 assists per game, leading all rookies in scoring, assists, steals, and efficiency metrics during that stretch.
Then in June, Miles broke Fever sensation Caitlin Clark’s rookie record for most 3-pointers in a game, recording 8 in the Lynx’s 87-84 win over the Golden State Valkyries.
The former Notre Dame star’s production is not going unnoticed, with Cunningham weighing in on Miles’ rise and her compelling ROTY case.
During the latest episode of the “Show Me Something” podcast, Cunningham detailed exactly what makes Miles so difficult to contain.
“I know that they said Olivia Miles was up for rookie. She’s going to get Rookie of the Year,” Cunningham said. “I don’t know if anyone has watched her play, whoever’s listening to this, she is a beast. An actual beast. She is. I’m not kidding.”
Cunningham pointed to the rookie’s physical playstyle and unorthodox movements off the dribble as primary reasons for her early dominance.
“She just has like the wiggle of a guy,” Cunningham explained. “She is so good. Her passing, her shooting, her court vision. She is good.”
“I like her. And I know people think it’s weird when you compliment other people in our league because you have to play against them,” Cunningham continued. “But I also give this girl her flowers. She is a freakin’ beast.”
Olivia Miles is tied as the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 250+ PTS & 50+ AST. pic.twitter.com/DbIYxCh9f7
— Real App (@realapp) June 16, 2026
Miles brought an impressive collegiate résumé to the WNBA. During her time in South Bend, she became the first freshman in NCAA Tournament history to record a triple-double, and also set the program’s all-time record for career triple-doubles.
That momentum translated seamlessly to the professional level, as Miles dropped nearly 30 points on the Las Vegas Aces in a narrow defeat before bouncing back to help her team to a 33-point blowout win over the Portland Fire on Monday night.
Averaging 18.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.9 assists across 14 games, Miles will have her next opportunity to back up Cunningham’s praise when the Lynx face the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday.
