{
  "$type": "site.standard.document",
  "bskyPostRef": {
    "cid": "bafyreidttgggj6muvt6hoigx5enhvpzwr2572p5zu4haiu44vis3le7mnm",
    "uri": "at://did:plc:ha7wpngv4f2qwrk5hta4ktbb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmkbiuwo6nx2"
  },
  "coverImage": {
    "$type": "blob",
    "ref": {
      "$link": "bafkreigd2qfmdzzugfwztycqkeclendb33nrxmlgwgieudpnxwlgienkle"
    },
    "mimeType": "image/jpeg",
    "size": 321782
  },
  "path": "/chicago-sky/2026/05/23/sorry-sky-fans-olivia-miles-is-thriving-on-the-lynx",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-23T19:57:09.491Z",
  "site": "https://chicago.suntimes.com",
  "textContent": "<p>The most annoying thing about rookie Olivia Miles is that she could have been on the <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-sky\" target=\"_blank\" >Sky</a>. Had the Sky not traded away a pick swap to move up for Angel Reese in 2024, they could’ve taken her at No. 2 in 2026.</p><p>“Sorry about that,” Miles laughed before the game. “It’s not my fault.”</p><p>She’s right on that one. But Miles <i>is</i> responsible for the second-most annoying thing about her, which is that through her first six games with the Minnesota Lynx, she’s made the transition look too easy.</p><p>Even \"generationally talented\" rookies are supposed to suffer through a harsh adjustment period—a phase where the pro game overwhelms them, where their college moves don’t work quite as well.</p><p>Miles, however, looks like pretty much the same player from Notre Dame and TCU. Orchestrating the Lynx offense, creating for herself, and dictating tempo, she's already averaging 14 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5 assists.</p><p>“She’s existed on the court like she’s been doing it for a while,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said before Saturday's game, which ended in a 85-75 Minnesota win.</p><p>If you’re feeling insecure—as Sky fans might be after dropping two straight—Miles' instant stardom can get under your skin. It begs the question: why isn’t the pressure of leading a storied franchise getting to her? Does she ever even struggle?</p><p>“Never,” Reeve joked last week. “What you see on the outside is exactly what’s happening at all times.”</p><p>“Kidding. They all struggle. Maya Moore struggled. Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen. They all struggled.”</p><p>Case in point: Miles’ two performances against the Sky have been far from perfect. She shot just 4-of-14 on Saturday, with as many turnovers as assists. But the flair and command in her game are undeniable.</p><p>Overall, Reeve—a four-time WNBA champion coach—is seeing things from Miles that she’s never seen before. She said she’s never coached a player who reads defenses and comes up with counters quite like Miles. She’s also never coached anyone quite as curious.</p><p>“In every gym I’ve been in, I always want to be the one asking questions and making sure I understand things and do it right,” Miles said. “I think that’s why I’ve started off so well, because I just understand concepts quicker, and I’m not afraid to ask about certain things.”</p><p>Hear that, Sky fans? <i>She just understands concepts quicker.</i> It’s the kind of quote you hear often from Miles; she doesn’t bother hiding the fact that she knows exactly how good she is.</p><p>Interestingly, that doesn’t necessarily mean she always feels as comfortable as she looks. Reflecting on the opening week of her career, she admitted the transition hasn't been seamless.</p><p>“It’s very uncomfortable. I don’t like it,” Miles said. “I don’t like being down one with one minute left and having to figure it out. But that’s where you trust in your work.”</p><p>She spoke to that discomfort during training camp too, describing the tension of being a rookie handed the reins to a championship franchise.</p><p>“It’s hard,” Miles said. “As a rookie, I want to shut up and say nothing and just watch and listen. But as a point guard, your duty is to direct people and be a quarterback—to put a 15-year vet or a 10-year vet in their right place. It’s weird. It’s a weird thing to do.”</p><p>That sensitivity to the dynamics around her is why, ultimately, Miles’ confidence isn’t actually annoying. She’s even sensitive to the Sky fans lamenting the loss of a Miles-era in Chicago.</p><p>“I still love Sky fans,” Miles said. “I love Chicago. At Notre Dame, it’s like an hour and a half away, so we’re up here all the time. I love it here so much. I’ve always loved coming to Sky games and supporting. The fans have been awesome.”</p><p>They'll just have to appreciate her from a distance.</p>",
  "title": "Sorry, Sky fans: Olivia Miles is thriving on the Lynx",
  "updatedAt": "2026-05-23T19:57:09.491Z"
}