Olivia Miles Named Unanimous WNBA Rookie of the Year

Olivia Miles, the Minnesota Lynx’s dynamic point guard, has been unanimously named the 2026 WNBA Rookie of the Year. She received every vote from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, a rare perfect result that highlights her impressive debut season.

Selected second overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft, Miles quickly made her mark. She started all 40 games for the Lynx, averaging nearly 20 points, 6 assists, and close to 5 rebounds per game. Her shooting was efficient too, with nearly 50% from the field and almost 39% from three-point range.

During the season, Miles set new rookie records for total points scored with 790, surpassing the previous record held by Caitlin Clark. She also broke the record for the most games with 20 or more points by a rookie, achieving this in 22 games. Her ability to score and create plays made her a standout among all rookies and even ranked highly among all players in the league.

Miles is the sixth player in Lynx history to earn the Rookie of the Year award, joining an elite group that includes stars like Maya Moore and Napheesa Collier. Her strong performance helped the Lynx secure the No. 1 seed with a 33-11 regular-season record, setting up high hopes for a deep playoff run.

She swept all four Rookie of the Month awards this season and was the only rookie selected to start in the WNBA All-Star Game. Miles also set several franchise rookie records for points, assists, three-pointers, and minutes played, showing her all-around impact on the team.

The announcement came just before the Lynx faced a tough playoff challenge against the New York Liberty, trailing 1-0 in their first-round series. Despite the pressure, Miles’ breakout season has already made her a fan favourite and a fresh face to watch in the league.