Lynx’s Olivia Miles might have given Caitlin Clark her own ‘Chet Holmgren moment’ originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It was all fun and games until Olivia Miles showed up.
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The Minnesota Lynx‘s prized rookie enjoyed another superb night against the Phoenix Mercury on Monday, as her 19 points and nine assists steered the Lynx to a crushing 111-77 victory in the teams’ first Commissioner’s Cup contest.
Miles scored or assisted on 39 points in another showcase of her immediate adaptation to the WNBA. The former TCU and Notre Dame standout has guided the Napheesa Collier-less Lynx to a league-best 7-2 record after nine games — and fans are debating her impact on a battle-tested Minnesota team to that of Caitlin Clark on the up-and-coming Indiana Fever.
Miles has contributed immediately to winning — and while her playing style differs from Clark, her playmaking and her defensive impact have seamlessly slotted into the Lynx’s egoless team culture.
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Clark has dazzled fans in Indiana over her three WNBA seasons. As of now, her rookie assists record of 337 dimes is not under threat, despite Miles’ passing proficiency.
But in terms of overall impact, one X user summed it best when they said:
“Caitlin Clark watching Olivia Miles come into the league must be how Chet Holmgren felt when Victor Wembanyama got drafted.
Holmgren, a 7’2” phenom out of Gonzaga, was going to herald a new era of basketball as a defensive menace with floor spacing ability at his height. He won an NBA championship with the Oklahoma City Thunder last year and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season.
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But along came Wembanyama at 7’5”: a player with a generational ability to negate shots via his wingspan and his presence alone, while also possessing Stephen Curry-esque 3-point range. The San Antonio Spurs phenom beat Holmgren to Defensive Player of the Year honors and eliminated him from the NBA playoffs last week to end the Thunder’s repeat bid.
Miles vs. Clark could have a similar impact on The W: two elite playmakers, two Rookies of the Year with standout pedigrees who figure to make a whole bunch of All-Star teams in their careers. However, defenses have found a way to keep Clark off-balance, despite her explosive scoring ability; teams have yet to figure out how to take Miles out of a game, as she can drive and create for others at a high level.
