The Minnesota Lynx wasted no time Monday night, grabbing TCU guard Olivia Miles with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft at The Shed in Hudson Yards. After a season of eye-popping box scores in Fort Worth, Miles heads to Minnesota with a reputation for piling up assists, crashing the glass from the guard spot and delivering game-changing triple-double performances.
The pick came right after the Dallas Wings took UConn standout Azzi Fudd at No. 1 and was confirmed during the draft broadcast, according to WFAA. The outlet also noted Miles' move from Notre Dame to TCU last season. The WNBA's draft event returned to Hudson Yards this year, with top prospects walking the orange carpet before hearing their names called, per WNBA.
Miles' resume
Miles swept the Big 12's Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards and finished the season averaging roughly 19-20 points with about seven rebounds and 6-7 assists, according to TCU Athletics. She dished a program-record 14 assists in TCU's NCAA first-round rout of UC San Diego and recorded what was widely reported as her 12th career triple-double, a milestone covered by Yahoo Sports. Evaluators say her court vision and pick-and-roll IQ are the skills that should translate most cleanly to the pro game.
Why the Lynx picked her
Minnesota hits the offseason with a strong core but limited depth in primary ball-handling minutes, and local coverage noted that Miles offers immediate creation whether she is running the show as a lead guard or working in jump-ball lineups. Bring Me The News outlined how the Lynx landed a top-four selection and used it to secure a high-end guard prospect. Head coach and president of basketball operations Cheryl Reeve now has a versatile playmaker who can relieve scoring pressure and orchestrate an offense that leans on spacing and ball movement.
What to watch next
Miles joins a rookie class that benefits from a new WNBA rookie pay scale, with the No. 2 pick now carrying a substantially larger guaranteed payday than in prior years, according to AP News. Next up for Minnesota and Miles are contract talks, followed by a training-camp timeline that will show how quickly her game adjusts to pro spacing and tougher defensive matchups.
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