Looming WNBA Culture Shock Could Be Exactly What Olivia Miles Needs

Olivia Miles will have to make some adjustments.

Mar 30, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; Texas Christian University Horned Frogs guard Olivia Miles (5) reacts to a called foul during the first quarter of the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks in an Elite Eight game in the Sacramento Regional 4 of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

Olivia Miles is a dynamic scorer, especially now that her 3-point shot is more reliable, and a phenomenal passer. But no player is perfect, and Miles’s biggest weakness lies on the defensive end. She is not a great defender and didn’t seem very invested on that side of the floor this season. 

Her defensive shortcomings weren’t much of a problem at TCU because she was such a big part of the team’s offense that she had to be on the court, even if she wasn’t locked in on defense. That should change quickly when she makes it to the WNBA, especially if she is drafted second overall by the Minnesota Lynx. 

Going from TCU to a defensive-minded Cheryl Reeve system would be a “real cultural shock,” as The Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant put it on The Ringer WNBA Show. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Miles needs to improve as a defender to reach her full potential at the next level, so that culture shock may be just what she needs. 

Going to Minnesota could be great for Miles’s career

Aug 2, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve looks on in the third quarter of their game against the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Fans like players who can put on a show. Olivia Miles has done that regularly throughout her college career, dishing out passes that seem impossible and hitting big buckets. With her ability to pass and score, she has the makings of one of the WNBA’s next young stars. 

She will likely go second overall to the Lynx or third overall to the Storm. If the Lynx don’t take her, the Storm definitely will. Miles would be the perfect running mate for Dominique Malonga, who already won over WNBA fans with immense growth throughout her rookie season and some dunks at only 19. Landing in Minnesota may be the most beneficial for her development, though. 

Joining the Lynx would be a very interesting experience for a rookie of Miles’s caliber because the team already has a face of the franchise in Napheesa Collier, other veterans (if they re-sign in free agency), and an established identity. So, Miles would have less freedom than if she landed with a team focused on a rebuild and building a culture, but she would quickly learn what it takes to win at the highest level and how to become a more well-rounded player. 

Mark Campbell may not have been able to take Miles off the court because of defensive lapses, but Reeve can and will if she ends up in her system. Defense is a big part of the Lynx’s identity. The team regularly posts one of the best defensive ratings in the WNBA and Alanna Smith and Napheesa Collier were the last two Defensive Player of the Year winners, although the former shared the honor with A’ja Wilson. 

Playing in Reeve’s system would challenge Miles to at least try on defense. She doesn’t even have to become a lockdown defender. She just needs to be passable.