Lynx's Olivia Miles Wins 2026 WNBA ROY Award After Historic Season, Full Voting Results

Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles was the unanimous pick for Rookie of the Year following a record-setting season.

Miles averaged 19.8 points, 6.0 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 49.2 percent overall and 38.8 percent from beyond the arc. Her 790 total points were the most ever for a WNBA rookie.

Miles was considered by some to be the best player in the 2026 WNBA draft class, though she went second overall behind UConn sharpshooter Azzi Fudd. Passing on the former Notre Dame and TCU star is looking like a major whiff by the Dallas Wings.

With five collegiate seasons under her belt, the 5'10" playmaker arrived in the WNBA as a polished prospect. Nobody envisioned her making the kind of impact she did straight out of the gate, though.

Many assumed the Lynx would tread water a bit with star Napheesa Collier recovering from offseason ankle surgery. She didn't make her season debut until July 22.

Thanks to Miles' efforts, Minnesota compiled a 22-6 record by the time Collier was back on the court. The rookie more than rose to the occasion and occupied a leadership role on the floor in Collier's absence.

Miles effectively had Rookie of the Year wrapped up within the first few months. Fudd's season-ending knee surgery cleared the runway even more.

The timing of Monday's announcement is a little unfortunate as it comes a day after Minnesota dropped Game 1 of its first-round playoff series against the New York Liberty. For once, Miles showed her inexperience as she shot 3-of-12 from the field and had four turnovers to one assist.

Even if the Lynx fall short of reaching the WNBA Finals for the second time in three years, the 2026 campaign should be considered a success because they discovered a new franchise cornerstone.