Olivia Miles has put a definitive stamp on her successful first season in the league, breaking a WNBA record set by Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark in her rookie season. On Sunday, Miles and the Minnesota Lynx visited the Connecticut Sun, as the top team in the WNBA standings looked to snap a three-game losing streak. As Miles scored for her team, she officially recorded the 771st point of her rookie season.
That put her two ahead of Clark, who previously set the rookie single-season record with 769 points for the Fever in 2024. It also helped further make the case that she is a potential Most Valuable Player in her rookie season. More news: Paige Bueckers Broke Another WNBA Record Amid Wings’ Playoff Push Miles figured heavily into the Lynx's success this season, stepping up and performing in star Napheesa Collier's absence as if she's been a veteran in the league for many seasons.
Miles is currently averaging 19.7 points, six assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game as a rookie. She scored a career-high 33 points against the Phoenix Mercury in July, and based on how well she shoots and the types of shots she can hit, it seems 40 or 50 points won't be far away in her career. It was also only a short bit of time before a rookie broke Clark's record set three seasons ago.
It shows how much the level of talent is elevated each season. Bright young stars continue to get drafted into the WNBA, like Clark, the Atlanta Dream's Angel Reese, Miles, and last year's Rookie of the Year, Paige Bueckers. Miles appears to be a lock to claim this season's Rookie of the Year Award, but one has to wonder if she can potentially upset the Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson, the favorite to claim the Most Valuable Player award.
Both players have helped their teams reach the top, or near the top, of the WNBA standings and are considered top contenders to win the championship. The Lynx finish their regular-season slate with a two-game away-and-home series against Clark and the Fever, where Miles can further add to her historic points total. They'll next visit Indiana on Tuesday, Sept. 22, to play the Fever at 8 p.m.
ET, and then close things out on Thursday, Sept. 24, hosting the Fever in Minnesota. More news: Angel Reese Becomes First WNBA Player to Accomplish This Historic Feat For more about the WNBA, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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