Who is Olivia Miles? Meet Minnesota Lynx’s Rookie

The 2026 WNBA draft was one of the deepest and most talented classes in the league’s history. Olivia Miles was one of those draftees in that class who opted out of the 2025 WNBA draft and moved to TCU. Miles defended her TCU move and delivered for the new team in her final college year.

The former Notre Dame star became a cornerstone player for TCU, which also raised her stock in the WNBA draft. She was the second overall pick in the WNBA draft, highlighting her top performances, gameplay, and impact in her college career. Check out her background and family information below.

Olivia Miles’ Background And Family

Born on November 2, 2002, in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, the guard grew up in a supportive environment that fostered her athletic talents from a young age. Her roots in the Garden State laid the foundation for a basketball journey that would eventually capture national attention and establish her as one of the most dynamic point guards of her generation.

It’s important to note that her journey into basketball was greatly influenced by her parents, Jerome and Amy Miles, who recognized her passion for sports early on. Miles grew up in a household where athletics and hard work were deeply valued, and her father helped guide her early development on the hardwood.

It’s important to note that the crafty star possessed a natural affinity for soccer and other sports; her exceptional spatial awareness and passing instincts drew her definitively toward basketball. Spending her formative years playing against tough competition in local leagues, Miles quickly developed a unique, flashy style of play that attracted many eyes with her precise no-look passes and a relentless attacking mindset.

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Olivia Miles’ High School and College Career

For her high school education, Miles attended Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey, a prestigious boarding school known for both its academics and athletics. At Blair Academy, Miles blossomed into a top-ranked point guard in the nation. The star also led her team to multiple state championships and earned widespread acclaim for her ability to control the tempo of a game.

Her spectacular high school performances earned her a spot in the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic, cementing her status as a generational playmaker before she even set foot on a college campus.

Also, during her early college years, the five-star guard chose to play college basketball at the University of Notre Dame, arriving in South Bend as a midyear enrollee in early 2021. Her impact on the Fighting Irish was immediate and historic; she became the first freshman, male or female, in NCAA tournament history to record a triple-double.

Also, her career at Notre Dame, Miles was the engine of the team’s offense, earning First-Team All-ACC honors and entering the national player of the year conversation. Although a significant knee injury sidelined her for the entire 2023–2024 season, she made a triumphant, high-scoring return to college basketball, proving her resilience and cementing her legacy as one of the program’s greatest all-around floor generals.

The Minnesota Lynx selected her as the second overall pick in the 2026 WNBA draft, and the coach, Cheryl Reeve, praised the star for her IQ and gameplay. Her basketball career reached its pinnacle in April 2026, when she officially entered the professional ranks. Now, as she begins her rookie campaign in Minnesota, Miles’s deep-rooted basketball foundations and elite basketball IQ position her to be a premier playmaker in the WNBA for years to come.

Game-changing. Playmaking. All-American

Olivia Miles has been named a second-team AP All-American.#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/eEIa4YF7AU

— Notre Dame Women's Basketball (@ndwbb) March 19, 2025

FAQs about Olivia Miles

Q. Where was Olivia Miles Born?
A. Olivia Miles was born in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

Q. Who are Olivia Miles’ parents?
A. Jerome and Amy Miles are Olivia Miles’ parents.

Q. Which High School did Olivia Miles play for?
A. Olivia Miles played in Garden State High School.

Q. What year was Olivia Miles drafted?
A. Olivia Miles was the second overall pick in the 2026 WNBA draft.

Q. What is Olivia Miles’ highest score in college?
A. Olivia Miles scored 40 points, which she achieved while playing for TCU against Baylor