Olivia Miles Breaks Caitlin Clark's WNBA Rookie 3-Point Record With 8 Threes
Lynx rookie Olivia Miles hit 8 threes vs. Golden State, breaking the WNBA rookie 3-point record held by Caitlin Clark. Full stats, quotes, and ROTY race.
Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles set a WNBA rookie record with eight 3-pointers in an 87-84 win over the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday night, the Lynx's sixth straight victory.
Miles, the No. 2 pick in this year's draft, finished with a career-high 28 points on 9-of-16 shooting and went 8-of-11 from beyond the arc. She added seven assists, four rebounds, three blocks and one turnover. The eight 3-pointers broke a rookie mark of seven that had been shared by the Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark, who tied it in 2024, and the New York Liberty's Crystal Robinson, who set it in 1999.
The performance also tied the Lynx single-game franchise record, matching veteran teammate Kayla McBride.
Here are her stats against Golden State:
- Points: 28 (career high)
- Three-pointers: 8-of-11 (WNBA rookie single-game record)
- Field goals: 9-of-16
- Assists: 7
- Rebounds: 4
- Blocks: 3
- Turnovers: 1
Miles made five straight 3-pointers in the first half, reaching 17 points at a point when the rest of her teammates had scored 14 combined. She opened the third quarter by hitting her first two attempts. The win lifted Minnesota to a league-best 8-2 record.
Rookie of the Year and MVP Race
The game increased Miles's lead in the 2026 Rookie of the Year race. She was named the Kia WNBA Rookie of the Month for May after averaging 15.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists across eight games. She leads all first-year players in scoring and assists and has scored in double figures in every game of her career.
Her play has also drawn early MVP mentions, though that talk remains speculative this early in the season.
Minnesota has built its league-best record without star forward Napheesa Collier, the two-time MVP runner-up, who has yet to play in 2026 as she recovers from left ankle surgery in late March.
What It Means for the Lynx
Miles's arrival has let Williams move off the ball to a scoring role, where she is posting some of the best numbers of her career. With Miles running the offense, the Lynx have won six in a row and sit atop the league standings.
Her shooting had been the one weak spot in an otherwise strong start. On Thursday, that question went away.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many three-pointers did Olivia Miles make to break the record? Miles made eight 3-pointers on 11 attempts, the most ever by a rookie in a single WNBA game.
Whose WNBA rookie 3-point record did Olivia Miles break? She broke the rookie single-game record of seven 3-pointers, shared by Caitlin Clark (2024) and Crystal Robinson (1999).
What were Olivia Miles's full stats against the Valkyries? Miles scored a career-high 28 points with seven assists, four rebounds, three blocks and one turnover, shooting 9-of-16 from the field and 8-of-11 from three.
Is Olivia Miles the favorite for WNBA Rookie of the Year? Yes. Miles is the betting favorite for the 2026 WNBA Rookie of the Year award and won Rookie of the Month for May.