PHOENIX — It took Courtney Williams all of one regular-season game to come up with a nickname for her new teammate, Minnesota Lynx rookie guard Olivia Miles: “She’s a little baby Chelsea Gray.”
Being likened to the Point Gawd is a “cool” honor, Miles told USA TODAY Sports. She drew the comparison after recording 21 points and eight assists in her first WNBA game, becoming only the fifth player in league history to reach 20-plus points and five-plus assists in their debut. And like her lightning-quick passes, Miles hasn’t slowed down her historic start.
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The 23-year-old TCU alum has emerged as the clear front-runner for Rookie of the Year after becoming the first player in WNBA history to record 45-plus points and 20-plus assists through her first three games. She leads all rookies in assists (5.2 per game), steals (1.4) and minutes per game (29.8) through her first five games.
Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve has seen a lot of talent, but Miles’ seamless transition to the big leagues has “really impressed” her.
“She’s a highlight reel,” Reeve said. “I mean, I watched it firsthand. …Then I went and watched (film) clip by clip by clip. … Her vision, her feel, her ability to counter things so quickly. It really shone through.”
‘I’m here to be a sponge’
Miles’ journey at Minnesota started with a history lesson from the all-time winningest coach in WNBA history. Reeve showed off the Lynx’s four championship banners and five jerseys hanging from the rafters at Target Center, belonging to Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles, Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson and Lindsay Whalen. Reeve joked that Miles was “gracious enough” to humor her for several hours, but it was Miles who was grateful.
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“I’m here to be a sponge and to hopefully have a banner hung up one day, God willing,” Miles told USA TODAY Sports’ Studio IX on May. 12. “I trust Cheryl. I trust what she’s done. Obviously the work shows for itself … it’s pretty cool to hear about what they went through and … what they’ve been able to do.”
The mindset highlights Miles’ maturity early in her budding career. It takes a certain level of poise for a rookie to come in and take complete command of an offense at the point guard position, which Reeve acknowledged is a “really hard” thing to do, but Miles has immediately stepped into the role and responsibility with full trust.
“That’s a level of humility that I think that it takes to be successful. Every time she receives instruction, I don’t think there’s been a time that she hasn’t said thank you … talent, and then couple that with humility. Those are great combinations,” Reeve said. “I’ve really enjoyed her curiosity. It’s not a player who’s coming in and thinking, yeah, I’m going to do the same thing I did in college.”
Olivia Miles off to record start
Miles was drafted No. 2 overall out of TCU following a career-best year, where she led the Horned Frogs back to the Elite Eight. Despite hitting milestone after milestone, Miles admitted she hasn’t really “had a chance to take a deep breath” or “think about everything” after her whirlwind year. She likes it that way, because it allows her killer instincts to take over. “Just go in, no stress, just play,” Miles said.
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Minnesota took the trial by fire approach and thrust Miles into the starting lineup alongside veteran returners Kayla McBride and Williams, who’s “happy to kind of be back at my natural position” with Miles taking over at point. Veteran additions Natasha Howard and Nia Coffey round out the starting five as Napheesa Collier recovers from offseason surgery on both ankles. Miles’ presence alone has “energized” the veterans, Reeve said.
Miles is averaging 15.5 points through five games, the first Minnesota rookie to score double-digit points in her first five games since Augustus in 2006. She can see past her defender and make pick-and-roll reads, whether she’s launching a no-look pass to a wide-open teammate or taking the ball to the cup with her signature right-hand finish. Miles has the ability to manipulate defenses “like no player I’ve ever seen,” Reeve said.
“She has something you can’t teach, which is just the vision to see something before it’s about to happen,” Collier said. “She knows where people are about to be before they’re there and that’s something you have to be born with and she is. … It’s a lot of pressure being point guard, especially starting point guard in this league, but she’s taking it in stride and I can’t wait to get on the court with her.”
To Miles, pressure is a privilege and she’s as confident as ever, even on the biggest stage of her career. When asked if she was surprised by how quickly she’s adjusted, Miles matter-of-factly said, “Yes and no.”
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“I’m physically gifted. I’m a bigger guard, obviously, so I came up with a lot of favorable physical attributes,” Miles told USA TODAY Sports, offering another example of her bravado. “I like to think I’m pretty strong, so I’m getting bumped on a little bit, but not as much as I thought. So it’s been pretty cool to kind of adjust and just to be smart about what kind of hits I’m taking and what routes I’m getting over screens.”
Following the Lynx’s win over the Toronto Tempo on Thursday, Miles added: “I didn’t think I’d be able to score as easily, but the defensive three seconds is really nice. It works out in my favor. The lane’s a lot more open.”
Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles (5) works around Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) during the second half at Target Center.
Most importantly, Miles said Reeve has allowed her to be herself.
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“It’s only been a few weeks of me meeting her and us building a relationship and she already … I feel like she’d run through a wall for me and I do the same for her,” Miles said Thursday. “When you have that relationship with a coach, it’s so special. It’s something you can’t really explain. We’ve had numerous conversations and just getting to know her has been so, just, surreal.”
The No. 1 overall draft pick has went on to win Rookie of the Year the past four seasons, but Miles is well on her way to shaking up that trend.
Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Olivia Miles is Rookie of the Year front-runner after historic start
