Even Napheesa Collier “was terrible in training camp her rookie year.” And that was somebody who went on to deliver 27 points in her professional debut. That was coach Cheryl Reeve’s message to Olivia Miles as the No. 2 overall pick navigates the early stretch of her WNBA career.

The two sat down together after Miles’ first preseason game against the Mystics, and by Reeve’s account, it was quite the conversation. “We spent a week together, and then after the first game, we spent a couple of hours together. Very few of the minutes were actually watching video. It was actually more just sharing information about different hall of fame players and their paths,” Reeve revealed. The core message Reeve wanted Miles to walk away with was simple, “this isn’t easy.” Not for anyone. Not even for the players whose names are now etched into the history of the game. 

And of course, hearing that Collier, one of the best to ever do it, had her own rocky start was, understandably, a lot for Miles to take in. As Reeve revealed, “Miles was shocked when I told her that Napheesa Collier was terrible in training camp her rookie year.”

Olivia Miles joined the Minnesota Lynx as the second overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. She has now played in two preseason games with the team. Coach Reeve slotted her into the starting point guard role, particularly in the absence of Napheesa Collier, who remains sidelined due to injury. Her minutes were, however, measured 17 in the first game and 19 in the second. However, the early returns have been encouraging.

And the numbers back that up. In her debut, Miles posted 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. In the second game, she took a clear step forward. She led the team in rebounds with 5 while also contributing 11 points and 5 assists. But what stood out to Reeve perhaps just as much as the offensive production was what Miles did on the other end. Defense was the key area of focus heading into game two, and by Reeve’s assessment, Miles delivered.

Even so, Reeve wants Miles to understand that the road ahead will have its bumps. She pointed to another example from her own coaching history to drive the point home. Assistant coach Lindsay Whalen, whose stellar WNBA career included four championships with the Lynx too had her share of ups and downs. “Lindsey Whalen was a starter in the second game of her career and there’s ups and downs that go with that,” Reeve said. The parallel to Miles’ situation wasn’t lost on her either. “It’s really going to be helpful to Liv,” Reeve added, suggesting that knowing Whalen’s path, and having her right there in the building, could be one of the most valuable resources Miles has access to.

The Lynx have one more preseason game remaining before the season tips off. They play the Toronto Tempo in two days. Miles appears firmly in line to continue in the starting role, with Collier’s return still pending. From there, the real thing begins, a regular season opener at home against the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, May 10. If the growth Miles has shown between games one and two of the preseason is any indication, the Lynx and their fans have plenty of reason to be excited about what’s coming.

Olivia Miles Calls Lindsay Whalen an “Incredible Resource” in Learning Cheryl Reeve’s System

When Coach Cheryl Reeve said that Lindsay Whalen was really going to be helpful to Olivia Miles, she wasn’t mincing words. And that dynamic has already begun to take shape in real time. Speaking in her postgame interview after the Lynx’s second preseason win, Miles confirmed that the relationship with Whalen is already proving to be one of the most valuable parts of her transition into the professional game.

“Whalen has been an incredible resource for me. Obviously one of the greats, if not the greatest winningest point guard,” Miles said. That, of course, is not an overstatement. Whalen indeed retired in 2018 as the winningest player in WNBA history, a legacy that speaks for itself. Now channeling that wealth of experience into a coaching role, makes her perhaps the most perfectly placed person in the building to help Miles find her footing.

And Miles is soaking up every bit of it. “She’s just so knowledgeable about the game. Obviously about Cheryl’s system and what she wants and how she wants to execute it,” Miles explained. With that kind of direct access to someone who has lived and won within that very system, Miles has made her approach simple. “I’ve just been trying to be a sponge around her as much as I can,” she said. “Effort has to be upped. And I just want to get better. Whether that’s adjusting my angles, getting over screens better, talking to my teammates, whatever that may be. I’m always trying to be a sponge on both ends of the floor.”

And by Reeve’s own account, that sponge mentality is already producing results. The coach noted noticeable signs of defensive improvement from Miles between games one and two. That’s exactly the kind of signs that suggest the lessons from Whalen are landing. If Miles continues on this trajectory, the Lynx may have found not just a starting point guard, but a cornerstone, one shaped in no small part by the greatest winner the position has ever seen in this league.