Olivia Miles Drops 31 Points in 99-83 Lynx Win as Rookie Surge Lifts Minnesota

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 18

31 points on 80% shooting in 26 minutes powered Olivia Miles and the Lynx to a 99-83 road win over the short-handed Sparks on Wednesday.
The No. 2 pick has become Minnesota’s offensive engine just 15 games into her WNBA career, leading the team with 19.0 points and 5.7 assists per game while hitting better than 50% of her shots.
Minnesota has stayed atop the standings despite Napheesa Collier’s absence since September, with Miles adding scoring and playmaking alongside veterans Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams.
Miles’s breakout has quickly pushed her into the Rookie of the Year conversation and validated coach Cheryl Reeve’s draft decision, with the 23-year-old already drawing leaguewide praise for her creativity and poise.
Her rise also comes at a pivotal moment for the WNBA: after the new CBA lifted top-pick starting salaries to $500,000 and the league confirmed a 50-game 2027 schedule, Miles entered the pros on far richer terms than a year earlier.