As the basketball world zeroes in on the NBA Finals, Olivia Miles showed that the WNBA is thriving, too. The Minnesota Lynx rookie caught fire from deep during Thursday’s 87-84 home victory over the Golden State Valkyries, rewriting a record book that had Caitlin Clark’s name in it.
Social media quickly caught wind of the milestone, and by the final buzzer, the WNBA community was debating just how high Miles’ ceiling is.
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WNBA World Reacts As Olivia Miles Overtakes Caitlin Clark in Record Books
Miles connected on a WNBA rookie record 8 3-pointers in the Lynx’s sixth straight win on Thursday. She surpassed Clark and Crystal Robinson, who were tied for the previous record of 7 triples.
Miles finished with a game-high 28 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists, and the broadcast barely had time to register her 8th 3 before reactions started to pour in, largely about her potential.
“Olivia Miles is UNREAL. New rookie record while NBA Finals are on? WNBA cooking,” one account wrote.
The Rookie of the Year chatter, already loud, only intensified.
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“She’s already locked herself firmly into that early Rookie of the Year driver’s seat,” one user posted, adding that “knocking down 8 of 11 from beyond the arc as a rookie is pure madness.”
Then the conversation jumped a tier.
“Is Olivia Miles an MVP candidate?” one account questioned.
“MVP candidate as a rookie,” a Minnesota Timberwolves fan account declared.
Polymarket Hoops pointed out that only five players in WNBA history have ever made more 3s in a single regular-season or playoff game than Miles did Thursday.
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Minnesota Vikings beat writer Will Ragatz kept it simple, gushing, “Olivia Miles is special. She’s gonna play in this league for a long, long time.”
Miles has been taking the WNBA by storm in her rookie year. She averaged 15.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game across eight May outings en route to receiving Rookie of the Month honors.
The 23-year-old has been a revelation in Minnesota. The Lynx weren’t expected to start at this pace, as their star player, Napheesa Collier, is still recovering from an ankle injury. Miles’ arrival has been a breath of fresh air for Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve.
“What we’ve learned now is just how mature a player she is at a young age,” Reeve said on Monday. “And even though it’s her first season, I guess whether it’s in high school, college, or pro, pick-and-roll is pick-and-roll, and that’s what she does.
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“Her ability to manipulate defenses. There were audible gasps on our bench from our coaching staff and our support staff at some of the passes that she made. … [Her passing] makes everyone else’s lives a lot easier.”
Miles, the No. 2 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, is already a frontrunner for this year’s ROTY award. She has helped guide the Lynx to a league-best 8-2 record, all without Collier.
