Rookie Olivia Miles is thrilled with her decision to delay going to the WNBA one more year.
In 2025, Miles was projected to likely be a No. 1 pick when she made the shocking decision to forego the WNBA draft and return to college. Miles also chose to move on from Notre Dame, a place where she made a name for herself, to play at TCU.
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On Wednesday, two days after Miles was selected as the No. 2 overall pick by the Minnesota Lynx, she addressed her delayed WNBA draft decision and what she learned about herself within the past year that helps her now feel ready for the pro level.
“I learned that I could be pretty resilient amongst a lot of people who were upset at me for doing so, and I think, two-fold, I learned my self-worth and to bet on yourself in moments where it may seem risky or it may not work out in your favor,” Miles said. “I mean, look where I’m at now. And I’m so grateful that I waited one more year, or else I wouldn’t have been (in Minnesota).”
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Miles joins a Lynx roster that includes standout talents such as Napheesa Collier, Courtney Williams, Kayla McBridge and Natasha Howard. She also has the opportunity to be coached by head coach Cheryl Reeve, who has called Miles a “generational talent.” For Miles, she says she knew deciding to wait would benefit her in the long run, and she couldn’t have done it without her support system.
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“We were just rolling deep at draft … and I got to see all those people who believed in me from that jump from Notre Dame to TCU and carried me through the hard time of that and got me on the other side,” Miles said.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Olivia Miles is ‘grateful’ she delayed entering the WNBA draft
