Minnesota Lynx select Olivia Miles with No. 2 overall pick in 2026 draft

The Minnesota Lynx selected guard Olivia Miles with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA draft on Monday.

Miles averaged 19.6 points and shot just over 48% from the field in 38 games for Texas Christian University this season. She also averaged 7.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists.

CBS Sports' Jack Maloney gave the pick an A grade, calling Miles "one of the best playmaking prospects we've ever seen" and saying "Cheryl Reeve is the perfect coach to help her improve on the defensive side of the ball."

Before joining the Horned Frogs, Miles averaged 14.2 points and 6.5 assists in three seasons with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

"Deep breath, that's why I got emotional," Miles said of finishing her journey. "It's finally here, finally heard my name. This is what this was for."  

The Phillipsburg, New Jersey, native has been nominated for multiple national player of the year awards and is a three-time Associated Press All-America Second Team selection, according to the Lynx.

Despite being the No. 2 overall pick, Miles is joining an organization that's a perennial contender.

"To head into somewhere where you know you can compete for a championship right away is rare and especially [being drafted] as high," Miles said in an introductory news conference Wednesday. "I know it won't be easy and I'm not looking for it to be easy. It's going to be intense and I've been looking and searching for that culture for a long time and I can't wait to get the most out of my ability."

That intensity won't be limited to the court. The Lynx fanbase is among the WNBA's most vocal and devoted — and Miles said she's already found that out.

"I've had a lot of different DMs and comments. The excitement level's been cool. I'm excited to meet them in person for sure," she said. "But I think my favorite video of the whole night was the reaction of the crowd when they heard my name. That was special and that told me a lot about the sort of culture and the basketball love around this city and its fans."

The Lynx made only one other selection Monday night. With the last pick in the draft, they took guard Lani White out of Utah. White averaged 15.9 points a game last season and shot 40.4% from three.

During the 2025 season, Minnesota finished with a league-best 34-10 record. The team was eliminated in the WNBA semifinals by the Phoenix Mercury.