College Basketball also celebrated MLK Day in style with its Coretta Scott King Classic games at the Prudential Center in New Jersey. The city with a rich history had six players participating in the games, and as expected, a huge crowd showed up, making the loudest noise. Key players to watch on the night were Olivia Miles and Mikayla Blakes, who were crowd favorites for their past performances.
Miles is among the top five college prospects for the upcoming WNBA draft, while Blake is an exciting sophomore with explosive scoring potential. Incidentally, they delivered in front of a home crowd and received a massive cheer.
Olivia Miles And Mikayala Blakes Shine At Coretta Scott King Classic
At the start of the season, Miles defended her decision to move to TCU, as she shockingly opted out of the 2025 WNBA draft. The player proved her decision correct with her playmaking and scoring, helping the TCU reach the 10th rank nationwide.
Returning to the region, the star started off with a three-pointer to show her intent in the game and finished the game with 24 points. Continuing to impress the crowd and fans alike, she had 11 rebounds and 7 assists to put up a fight against the No. 14 Ohio State.. Sadly, the final result was not in her favor, but the player’s performance certainly amped her chances of being the top pick.
Only Olivia Miles can put up 24 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast, 3 stk on 56% TS & people will say she's overrated
— Hunter Cruse (@HunterCruse14) January 19, 2026
She has to create everything for herself, playing almost every minute since Jan. 1
In another game, Sophomore Blakes was also in a Jersey mood. After breaking the NCAA Freshman scoring record a season ago, the player drew a lot of attention. On MLK Day, she showed why with a slick 14-point production for Vanderbilt, which clinched victory against the seventh-ranked Michigan.
Scroll to continue reading
Trending WNBA News
While the college prospects are on a roll with every passing game, the TCU guard is challenging the top prospects.
Olivia Miles Challenging Top Draft Position
Lauren Betts’ improved numbers, Azi Fudd’s consistency, and international players’ fiery gameplay are all making a strong case for the top pick in the 2026 WNBA draft. Though Miles is not far behind, the Wings would look to choose the best player available, making a ‘smart’ decision for the future.
Olivia Miles now has 13 different games this season with at least 15 points, five assists and a steal. That is the most among all DI players in 2025-26. pic.twitter.com/Y9TKz2duR4
— Rachel Galligan (@RachGall) January 12, 2026
Miles demonstrated her capabilities and potential at TCU and Notre Dame. In the latest mock draft, the Minnesota Lynx are positioned to maximize Miles’ potential through elite coaching and defensive support. The Lynx have the second overall pick and would be a perfect chance for a crafty guard to get hit the ground.