The WNBA All-Star starters were announced Thursday, and the Minnesota Lynx have a rookie vaulted straight into the starting five. Olivia Miles, the No. 2 pick in the 2026 draft, will line up alongside Natasha Howard, Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, Paige Bueckers, Jessica Shepard, Breanna Stewart, Gabby Williams, and A’ja Wilson in Chicago on July 25.
Miles is averaging 18.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.8 rebounds through 19 games. She’s shooting 51.9% from the floor, 32.8% from three, and a pristine 89.5% from the free-throw line. That efficiency, combined with 1.4 steals per game, is a big reason the Lynx own the league’s best record at 15-4.
What’s wild is that she’s doing this while playing nearly 31 minutes a night and missing only one game so far. Rookies don’t usually walk into the league and anchor a top-tier team like this. But Miles has been the Lynx’s most consistent playmaker, and her defense has been good enough that coach Cheryl Reeve trusts her in closing lineups already.
It’s not just the raw stats, either. The team is 11-2 in games where Miles scores at least 15 points. When she’s on the floor, the Lynx offense hums. When she sits, things get a little clunky. That kind of one-player impact is rare for a first-year pro.
Two Lynx in the Starting Five
Teammate Natasha Howard also cracked the starting lineup, which says something about how deep this Minnesota team is. Howard’s been a double-double machine, averaging 16.1 points and 9.2 boards. But having two starters from one team? That’s a statement. The Lynx are 5.5 games up in the standings, and the All-Star selections reflect that dominance.
The All-Star Game tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC from the United Center. Chicago gets the showcase, but Minnesota is the story right now. Miles and Howard will be wearing the same jerseys for the first half, then likely guarding each other in the second half when the format shifts. That’ll be something to watch.
Miles didn’t say much publicly after the announcement. She posted a simple fire emoji on Instagram. That’s pretty on-brand for a player who lets her game do the talking. But you can bet the WNBA marketing team is thrilled. A rookie with an all-around game and genuine buzz is exactly the kind of face the league wants on its biggest weekend.
The second half of the season will tell us if she can sustain this pace. For now, though, Miles is already an All-Star starter. Not bad for someone who hasn’t even played 20 pro games yet.
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