Olivia Miles earns unanimous Rookie of the Year honors after record-setting WNBA season
Miles is the fifth rookie to win the award unanimously and will receive a WNBA bonus of $15,000
The WNBA playoffs have already begun with three of the top four teams, the Valkyries , Aces , and Dream , securing victories in Game 1. The only top-four squad unable to defend home court was the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx , who stumbled 91-75 against the New York Liberty after Breanna Stewart erupted for 34 points and 12 rebounds , proving she remains scorching hot after capturing MVP honors at the FIBA World Cup .
For the Lynx, star players Napheesa Collier and Olivia Miles struggled to find an offensive rhythm, managing just 12 and 11 points respectively.
If Minnesota hopes to avoid an early postseason exit following a stellar regular-season campaign where they dominated the standings for months, they must urgently respond on the road at the Barclays Center in New York.
Olivia Miles Unanimously Crowned 2026 WNBA Rookie of the Year
With the postseason swinging into high gear, the annual league awards have taken center stage, highlighted by Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles being unanimously named the 2026 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year .
Miles captured all 74 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, joining an elite club of unanimous recipients that includes Aliyah Boston (2023) , A'ja Wilson (2018) , Elena Delle Donne (2013) , Tina Charles (2010) , and Candace Parker (2008) .
Selected with the No. 2 overall pick by Minnesota, Miles delivered a phenomenal campaign, averaging a team-high 19.8 points, 6.0 assists, while adding 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals across 31.0 minutes per game.
She led all rookies in total points, points per game, field goals made ( 279 ), defensive rebounds ( 163 ), total assists ( 239 ), assists per game, and efficiency ( 21.4 ), while also ranking third among first-year players in rebounds per game and three-pointers made ( 64 ), alongside anchoring the defense with 25 total blocks.
Record-Breaking Stats Cement Historic Debut and MVP Buzz
Among her astonishing collection of achievements, Miles etched her name permanently into the WNBA history books by shattering all-time rookie records for total points (790) , surpassing Caitlin Clark’s previous mark of 769 in 2024, and games with at least 20 points (22) , eclipsing Seimone Augustus’ milestone of 20 in 2006 .
Her historic play also earned her distinction as just the 11th rookie in league history selected as an All-Star starter . Across the entire association, Miles ranked seventh in assists per game, eighth in points per game, and ninth in both total points and total assists .
Her sheer dominance has even thrust her into conversations for the overall MVP award alongside favorite A'ja Wilson and Indiana Fever standouts Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell .
Tuesday brings Game 2 of the series between Minnesota and New York, serving as the biggest test of Miles' young career as she takes the floor newly crowned as the undisputed Rookie of the Year.
