People who were watching Olivia Miles play at Notre Dame and TCU in college already know what the whole of the WNBA and the league's fans have been finding out all season: Miles is the truth. And, as she's so often caught exclaiming on the court, it's beginning to actually look like absolutely no one in the league can guard her. That's a problem the rest of the WNBA is very likely going to have to continue to deal with and plan for in the years to come, because Miles doesn't seem like she's slowing down anytime soon.
This was on full display during the Minnesota Lynx's game against the Golden State Valkyries Wednesday night. The Lynx are leading the league's standings, but the Valkyries have the strongest defense in the WNBA. If anyone is going to appropriately guard Miles, it's got to be them — but they, like so many other teams, came up short.
Had she not suffered an ankle injury (that appears to be mild, per reporting from HITC that Miles was walking in the locker room after the game without wearing any special braces or taping), there's nothing that would have stopped Miles that game, period. In fact, we might as well say the only person who can stop Olivia Miles is Olivia Miles herself.
That's a huge statement for a player that some had written off before the WNBA even held this year's draft. There was plenty of chatter and skepticism; many didn't expect Miles to be drafted as high as she was (the No. 2 overall pick), and they certainly didn't expect Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve to play her as much as she has (Miles is averaging 31.1 minutes on the court this season).
But Miles has been electrifying basketball courts for years, and she's a perfect example of the type of game that translates well to what WNBA fans want to see: offensive and defensive prowess, confidence, and clear signs a player is just having a good time out on the court. It's tough for all three to be rolled into one player, and that's a huge part of what makes Miles so special.
Miles is well on her way to being named Rookie of the Year this season, and plenty of people are eyeing her for MVP, too. Right now A'ja Wilson appears to be the frontrunner for the latter, but you never know what could happen.
Add us as a preferred source on Google