In this past April's WNBA Draft, the Minnesota Lynx made a significant move to ensure their franchise's future success by drafting talented TCU guard Olivia Miles. Miles, 23, has instantly become one of the league's recognizable stars, helping to lead the Lynx earlier this season without their top All-Star, Napheesa Collier. Along the way, she's paved the way for herself to become the heavy favorite to win this season's Rookie of the Year.
She's also continuing to break records and is on the verge of breaking one set by three-time WNBA All-Star Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever. Miles and the Lynx battled the New York Liberty on Friday night, with the rookie finishing with 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block. Although half of her points came at the free-throw line and her team lost, Miles still moved closer to passing Clark for most points ever in a single season for a rookie.
More news: Sophie Cunningham Fires Back at Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell Narrative As of this writing, Miles now has 769 points in her rookie season. That's the exact number of points Clark scored in her rookie season with the Indiana Fever, as she went on to win WNBA Rookie of the Year. Miles should easily break that rookie record and claim the ROY award, and she's also in the MVP race.
While many believe that the Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson should win the award for a record-setting fifth time, Miles is considered a contender right below her in the recent MVP odds. She's leading the 31-10 Lynx with her 19.7 points and six assists per game. An impressive aspect of Miles' scoring is her efficient 49.5% field-goal percentage, according to ESPN stats.
While Miles is playing great amid what is likely to be a record-breaking Rookie of the Year season, her team is in a slump as the postseason approaches. With the 93-81 loss to the Liberty on Friday night, the Lynx dropped their third straight game, and all three have occurred against teams qualified for the WNBA Playoffs. Meanwhile, several teams are on four-game winning streaks, including the Golden State Valkyries, who sit 1.5 games behind Minnesota for the best record in the WNBA.
The Lynx next play against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, Sept. 20, followed by two games against Clark and the Fever to close out their regular-season schedule. More news: Fever’s Caitlin Clark Continues to Break WNBA Records Amid MVP Push For more about the WNBA, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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