Olivia Miles’ record-breaking rookie year ended with a historic upset, and the Minnesota Lynx guard is choosing to grow from it instead of hiding from it.
The top-seeded Lynx were swept out of the first round on Tuesday, Sept. 29, falling 87-71 to the No. 8 New York Liberty in Game 2 at Barclays Center, as first reported by ClutchPoints. According to NBC Sports, it’s the first time a No. 8 seed has knocked out a No. 1 in the league’s 30-year history.
Miles had a rough series. She averaged 8.0 points on 4-of-20 shooting with 1.0 assist across the two games. But her reflection afterward hit different.
“Losing is a part of it, right? Having games like I had is part of it,” Miles said in a video posted by reporter Khristina Williams.
“I think it’s beautiful as much as it hurts learning in this way. I’ll take it with me.”
The IAHHM Take
Two bad games don’t erase what this young hooper did. Miles was a unanimous Rookie of the Year pick, grabbing all 74 votes, per the WNBA. She averaged 19.8 points, 6.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds, and her 790 total points set a new league rookie record, passing Caitlin Clark’s 769 from 2024.
That’s the kind of debut that changes a franchise’s timeline. And the No. 2 overall pick isn’t sulking over how it ended, either. She’s being honest about where she is.
“I have to remind myself that I’m a rookie. I’m not a 10-year veteran,” she said. Now that she knows what that pressure feels like, she added, “now there’s no excuse.”
That last line is the one Lynx fans should circle. Hurt is fuel, and Miles sounds like she already knows the assignment.
So what do you think: does this loss make Olivia Miles even more dangerous in year two?
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Source: ClutchPoints, NBC Sports, WNBA.com
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