KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Olivia Miles was at T-Mobile Center seven weeks ago playing in the Big 12 tournament for TCU. Monday, she returned to the court as the WNBA’s No. 2 draft pick playing for the Minnesota Lynx. It’s a big jump to the pros, but Miles is ready.
In Minnesota’s 88-79 exhibition victory against Nigeria on Monday, Miles had 11 points, five assists and five rebounds in 19 minutes. She is expected to get a lot of playing time as a rookie point guard for the Lynx, who finished first in the WNBA last year but lost some key players in the offseason and have star forward Napheesa Collier out until at least June after left ankle surgery.
“I think I’m in this position for a reason,” Miles said. “Obviously, [coach Cheryl Reeve] sees something in me and believes in me. She would not have me out there if she didn’t think I could do it. So, yeah, it’s a privilege.”
Then, she added with a smile, “You have to look at it through a positive lens, or else I’ll stress myself out.”
Reeve, who is entering her 17th season in Minnesota as the longest-tenured coach in the WNBA, said Miles is the kind of player the Lynx love: one who fills up a box score. In her college career — spent at Notre Dame until her senior season at TCU — Miles averaged 15.3 points, 6.5 assists and 6.3 rebounds, and had 12 triple-doubles.
“She’s not just a scorer, she’s not just a passer,” Reeve said. “When you have a guard that’s going to be a triple-double threat every time she plays, that’s a pretty special player.”
The Lynx went 34-10 last season and advanced to the semifinals but lost two starters and two key reserves to the expansion draft and free agency. The only returning starter who played Monday was guard Courtney Williams (17 points), with Collier and guard Kayla McBride (rest) on the bench.
Also on the Minnesota bench is assistant coach Lindsay Whalen, a Naismith Hall of Famer who won four WNBA titles with the Lynx as their point guard. Reeve said there couldn’t be a better mentor for Miles than Whalen, the No. 4 pick by the Connecticut Sun in 2004 who also started as a rookie.
“There’s ups and downs that go with that,” Reeve said. “So, I think Whalen’s journey is really going to be helpful to Liv.”
Miles added, “[Whalen] has been an incredible resource for me. Obviously, one of the greats. She’s so knowledgeable about the game, obviously, about Cheryl’s system, and what she wants and how she wants to execute it.
“I’ve just been trying to be a sponge around her as much as I can. Obviously, my defensive intensity and effort has to be upped. I’m always trying to get better at everything.”
Miles had eight points in Minnesota’s first exhibition, a 77-66 victory over the Washington Mystics on Saturday. The Lynx finish exhibition play Friday against the Toronto Tempo in Minneapolis and then start the regular season May 10 at home against the Atlanta Dream.
