Forget Rookie of the Year—Olivia Miles Belongs in a Bigger Conversation

Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles is playing at an MVP level.

Jun 15, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles (5) celebrates with guard Kayla McBride (21) after making a shot against the Portland Fire in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

It's hard to imagine the WNBA Rookie of the Year trophy isn't already boxed up with Olivia Miles' address slapped on as a label. Because at this point, she's all but already secured that award.

That's worth spending one more beat on, as it's not like Azzi Fudd, who was picked No.1 overall by the Dallas Wings while Miles went No.2 to the Minnesota Lynx, hasn't had a very strong season. Fudd is averaging nearly 13 points per game on elite shooting. But the level Miles has played at takes her beyond rookie comparisons.

Miles is fresh off a career-high 31 point performance against the Los Angeles Sparks, where she went 12-15 from the floor. And at this point, expect the point guard of the team with the league's best record to start having her name thrust into All-WNBA and MVP talks.

In fact, Miles was asked about being mentioned as an MVP after the win over Los Angeles and deferred to the success of Lynx, saying that's what she's "most proud of."

Olivia Miles postgame, when asked about being in MVP convos: "[I'm] not really paying too much attention to it. It honestly just means that our team’s doing really well, which is what I’m most proud of. ... Whether I win awards or not, I’m still the same me."

— Cassidy Hettesheimer (@cassidyhett) June 18, 2026

The belief here has been that the MVP will ultimately come down to A'ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark, however, Miles has been too good to dismiss her from consideration.

Miles Compares Well to Clark as Rookies

Jun 17, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles (5) drives to the basket against LA Sparks guard Ariel Atkins (7) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Beyond individual accolades this season, there's another bigger conversation Miles has thrust herself into—best rookie season by a guard in WNBA history.

In this case, the best comparison is another point guard, Clark, who set the standard for the best start to a career at the position.

So far, Miles stacks up alongside the rookie campaign of the Indiana Fever star.

Miles is averaging 19 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists. Clark finished with 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.4 assists. The Lynx star has reached those numbers on better shooting percentages.

There are some differences in circumstances, as Clark came on in the second half of the season after joining a struggling Fever squad. Miles found herself in an ideal situation playing with a perennial contender in Minnesota, under the tutelage of an elite coach in Cheryl Reeve.

Regardless, no one expected her to lead the charge quite like this—except perhaps Miles herself.

Miles Was Not Lacking Confidence on Draft Night

Right after Miles was taken by the Lynx (who had the pick via a deal from the Chicago Sky), she was interviewed by ESPN's Holly Rowe.

In self-assessing her game, Miles said, "Yeah, I think I have the highest IQ as a guard, and my feel for the game is unmatched."

She quickly caught how that could have sounded like a little much in the moment, saying, "sorry I did not mean that in a harmful way."

"Just the way that I play, and the way that I flow with the game, I feel like I can add to the team really well," she concluded.

Miles was not wrong, and the only thing harmful has been what she has done to opposing defenses. We shall see how she adjusts as the scouting report on her develops, but to this juncture, keeping her on a rookie tier is beneath what Miles has already shown.