Olivia Miles turned her rookie season into one of the most decorated debuts the WNBA has seen, and Thursday’s news made it official. The Minnesota Lynx guard, picked second in the 2026 WNBA draft, was named a starter for the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game, becoming the only rookie in this year’s field to earn that spot. It’s a distinction most players spend years chasing, and Miles got there in just 19 games.

She didn’t take long to react to the honor either.

“It’s really cool, especially for when you get to do it with someone who you share the food with every day,” Miles said, as per reporter Andrew Dukowitz. “Just special, like Tasha said, we want them to be able to pin us as a team and ultimately winning games, so that was really important, just means we’re doing well on our team.”

That reference to “Tasha” points to exactly why this selections matters the most. Natasha Howard will start alongside Miles in the frontcourt, making Minnesota one of just three teams, alongside Dallas and Indiana, with multiple All-Star starters this year. Miles is also only the second rookie in franchise history to start after Maya Moore in 2011. She will share the backcourt with Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Paige Bueckers.

Natasha Howard and Olivia Miles‘ pick-and-roll partnership has been the engine of Minnesota’s offense all season. And Miles broke down exactly how it works in a recent press conference.

“I think one is synergy: It’s knowing where she wants to be,” Miles said, as per CBS Sports. “And two: It’s on her and her getting me open first. So she gets me open first and then I get her open, if that makes sense. It’s like a one-two punch.”

That chemistry shows up in numbers. Miles is averaging 18.7 points, 5.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. These numbers put her among the league’s most productive guards regardless of experience. She also became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 350-plus points and 100-plus assists, beating out both Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark to that mark.

The voters noticed all of this. Miles finished among the WNBA’s top vote-getters across the fan, player, and media ballots that determine All-Star starters. That’s a rare feat for a first-year player going up against established names.

Head coach Cheryl Reeve has been just as vocal about what the selection means for her team.

Minnesota HC Cheryl Reeve Details the Excitement Around the Team for Olivia Miles’ Selection as an All-Star Starter

As little as we have seen this season, the Minnesota Lynx don’t shy away from hyping up Olivia Miles. We’ve seen Courtney Williams calling Miles “Baby Chelsea Gray” early on in the season. And after the All-Star selection, head coach Cheryl Reeve was raving about her team’s All-Star starters.

“I mean, it’s really exciting for both of them,” Reeve said, as per the Minnesota Lynx YouTube channel. “When the announcement was made, just genuine excitement for each other. I think we all understand, sort of, there’s a rookie and how unprecedented, she’s the only rookie in this game. But for Howard, to kind of get back to that space, just really excited for her.”

The All-Star Game itself is still weeks away, set for July 25 at Chicago’s United Center. Before then, Miles has more immediate business to take care of. She and the Lynx are looking to bounce back from a 99-86 loss to the Liberty, wherein she shot just 5-of-16 from the field. And Miles wouldn’t be missing the chance for a comeback as the Lynx host the Connecticut Sun on July 6 at Target Center.