Sue Bird and Candace Parker are two of the greatest players in WNBA history. Three games into her professional career, Olivia Miles is already in the same record books as both of them.
The Minnesota Lynx rookie has been nothing short of impressive to open the 2026 season. Miles, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, has averaged 16.3 points, 7.0 assists and 3.7 rebounds through her first three games, and the way she’s played has drawn some serious attention league-wide.
Advertisement
According to ESPN Insights, Miles became only the third player in the 30-year history of the WNBA to record at least 10 points and five assists in each of her first three career games. Bird and Parker are the only other two players to do it. For a rookie still finding her footing at the professional level, that kind of company says everything.
Olivia Miles Rookie Season: Early Numbers Back Up the Hype
The transition from college to the pros isn’t always clean, but Miles has made it look that way. The creativity and control she showed at TCU have carried over without much drop-off.
Advertisement
She’s making quick decisions, playing with confidence and taking on tough defensive matchups against veteran guards. Her court vision has been one of the more consistent things on the floor for Minnesota in the early going and her basketball IQ continues to stand out among younger players in the league.
With the shots expected to fall more consistently as the season settles in, a double-double average by year’s end doesn’t look far-fetched at all. Her college resume made it easy to see why expectations were already high before she played a single WNBA game.
In her final season at TCU, Miles averaged 19.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game. She also recorded the 12th triple-double of her collegiate career in the NCAA Tournament, a mark that trails only Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark on the all-time list.
Advertisement
That kind of production pushed her draft stock up fast, and several projections had her going first overall before the Minnesota Lynx selected her at No. 2 in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Three games in, she’s already exceeded those expectations. Miles has stepped right into a starting role and made an immediate impact, and if the early stretch of this season is any indication, the Lynx got exactly what they were hoping for when they called her name on draft night.
Related: Cameron Brink’s All-White Season Opener Outfit Caught Fans’ Attention
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
