Minnesota Lynx phenom Olivia Miles continued her dazzling rookie campaign on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Sparks. The former Notre Dame and TCU star dropped 31 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in just 26 minutes to lead her team to a 99-83 road win.
Miles’ impressive first year in the pros has forced WNBA analysts to consider whether the Dallas Wings, who drafted Azzi Fudd with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 Draft, one spot ahead of Miles, might have blundered. Los Angeles Lakers legend Mychal Thompson is among those who believe pairing Miles with Wings superstar Paige Bueckers would have been the right call.
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Mychal Thompson Rues Wings’ Missed Opportunity To Pair Olivia Miles With Paige Bueckers
Heading into this year’s draft, most analysts had Fudd, Bueckers’ former UConn Huskies teammate and girlfriend, as the favorite to be the No. 1 pick. Many were convinced that Fudd’s 44.2% 3-point shooting in her last two years with the Huskies marked the perfect skill set to thrive beside Bueckers. The chemistry between the two was another key reason Dallas picked her over Miles.
The Wings’ decision to select Fudd was considered a no-brainer by league pundits. They thought the franchise had formed the WNBA’s best young backcourt duo.
Miles’ latest eye-catching performance has forced many to doubt whether the Wings made the right choice after all. Thompson echoed that sentiment after watching the 23-year-old carve up the Sparks’ defense.
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“I STILL cant beleev the Wings passed up Olivia Miles…Y’all see this lady play yet?… She is SMOOOOOTH…So GOOD…Ohhhh, the back cort Dallas wudda had with her and Paige,” Thompson tweeted.
This season, Miles has become the Lynx’s best scorer and playmaker and arguably their most versatile player. She leads her team in points (19.0) and assists (5.7), and is third in steals (1.4) and fourth in rebounds (4.9), respectively. Miles, a 33.1% 3-point shooter in college, is making 39.1% of her outside shots with the Lynx.
Minnesota hasn’t played a game with perennial MVP contender Napheesa Collier due to an injury. The Lynx also revamped their roster, but they have not missed a beat. They boast a league-best 12-3 record, largely because of Miles’ outstanding play and leadership.
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Meanwhile, Fudd is putting up 12.7 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. She is making 50.7% of her shots, including 38.7% from deep. To this point, Fudd hasn’t had the same well-rounded impact on the Wings.
Also Read: ‘Rookie of the Year & MVP’ — Former NBA Guard Makes Bold Declaration About Lynx Phenom Olivia Miles
Miles is the engine that makes the Lynx hum while Fudd revolves around the play of Bueckers. They have different roles, but Thompson is convinced the Miles-Bueckers dynamic would have been more prolific than the Fudd-Bueckers partnership.
The WNBA season is barely into its second month. If the Fudd-Bueckers tandem gets rolling, Thompson and others might have some rethinking to do.
