Olivia Miles is averaging 19.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.3 steals in her rookie season. She has been the most productive player on the team with the best record in the W this season. When Cheryl Reeve handed her the keys to the Minnesota Lynx’s offense, Miles took them and played her way into the MVP conversation without missing a step.
She is the overwhelming favorite to win Rookie of the Year. Really, no one else truly stands a chance, even though many rookies are putting together great seasons.
If it weren’t for Miles, Sydney Taylor would have a real shot at making history as the first undrafted player to be named Rookie of the Year.
Sydney Taylor is putting together a phenomenal season
Taylor wasn’t supposed to be a key piece for the Chicago Sky. She joined the team on a training camp contract after playing two seasons in Poland. But injuries pushed her into a bigger role.
She burst onto the scene with a 30-point game in an 114-106 overtime loss to the Indiana Fever and hasn’t slowed down since. She scored 20 points in five of the sixteen games after that game, including three with at least 27 points. She last delivered the Sky a massive win over the Aces by hitting a clutch 3-pointer to cap off a 29-point game while A’ja Wilson went for 36 points.
Taylor is now a full-time starter and averaging 14.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. She ranks second in scoring among rookies, ahead of top picks Flau’jae Johnson, Azzi Fudd, Kiki Rice, and Awa Fam, and she is arguably the most important player on the Sky’s roster with Rickea Jackson sidelined.
If it weren’t for Miles, Taylor and Fudd would be locked into a pretty thrilling Rookie of the Year race this season.
No undrafted player has ever won Rookie of the Year
The Rookie of the Year award overwhelmingly goes to the number-one pick. Chamique Holdsclaw, Diana Taurasi, Seimon Augustus, Candace Parker, Angel McCoughtry, Tina Charles, Maya Moore, Nneka Ogwumike, Chiney Ogwumike, Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, Rhyne Howard, Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, and Paige Bueckers were all named Rookie of the Year after going first overall in their respective draft classes.
Elena Delle Donne is the only number-two pick to win the award. Tamika Catchings, Cheryl Ford, and Armintie Price went third overall but all outplayed the first two picks for Rookie of the Year honors in their first seasons. Likewise, Jackie Stiles and Allisha Gray won as the fourth overall picks in their draft classes.
Only six players picked outside of the lottery have ever been named Rookie of the Year. Crystal Dangerfield, who was the 16th pick in 2020, is the only second-round pick in that group. Betty Lennox, Tameka Johnson, Napheesa Collier, and Michaela Onyenwere all went sixth overall, and Tracy Reid was drafted with the seventh pick.
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