The hype around Olivia Miles is no longer limited to being a favorite for the WNBA Rookie of the Year. The Minnesota guard has redefined consistency in her first season in the league, forcing her way into the MVP debate. But the No. 2 draftee isn’t buying into these assessments for now.

“[I’m] not really paying too much attention to it,” Miles said to reporter Cassidy Hettesheimer after the latest win over the LA Sparks. “It honestly just means that our team’s doing really well, which is what I’m most proud of. … Whether I win awards or not, I’m still the same me.”

To be honest, the clout around Miles being an MVP candidate fits in perfectly. In her rookie season, she is averaging 19.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game, according to WNBA.com. These aren’t just numbers; they’re part of the history she is stitching this year.

For instance, Miles has already become the first rookie to nail down eight three-pointers in a single game. She surpassed Caitlin Clark’s record for having seven three-pointers in a single game as a rookie.

On top of that, Miles is also the joint fastest rookie to record 250 points and 80 assists. She tied Paige Bueckers after completing the stat line in just 14 games. Given these numbers and performances, it’s quite certain that Olivia Miles’ name will pop up in the MVP debate.

Speaking at the Just Women’s Sports podcast, basketball Broadcaster Ros Gold-Onwude emphasized this fact even further. “Is this rookie (Miles) an MVP candidate?” she said. “Absolutely. She is.” Notably, many more analysts, like Robin Lundberg, have named Miles as one of the MVP favorites.

If she eventually wins it, Miles will become the first rookie since Candace Parker to achieve this feat. But for Miles, she isn’t much interested in it because she just wants to see her team win the league and have fun on the basketball court.

“When we’re winning, I’m just having a great time, that’s the point of basketball,” the Minnesota guard added, as per reporter Cassidy Hettesheimer.

Further in her press conference, Olivia Miles also heaped praise on her veteran teammates, who have shown immense trust and faith in her, which has further facilitated her performances.

“I have the best vets in the league,” Miles said. “When you’re out there, and you don’t have any weight on your shoulders, you just know the people around you trust you and support you. It’s just a different type of freedom, and they know I have their back as well.”

Notably, we even saw a glimpse of Olivia Miles’ MVP-worthy performance in her latest outing against the LA Sparks. The rookie recorded 31 points, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds in the game to help her team to a 99-83 win. Yet despite this staggering performance, another aspect of Miles has caught her senior teammates’ attention.

Kayla McBride Shares the Most Impressive Factor About Olivia Miles

The rookie season isn’t just about adaptability on the basketball court. Of course, it is the biggest challenge for a player, but there are others as well. For instance, the challenge of dealing with stardom and popularity that comes with being a pro player also exists.

But Olivia Miles has nailed those adaptations because, as her senior teammate Kayla McBride puts it, there are no differences in Miles on or off the court.

“What I’ve been most impressed with is how she rides the waves coz it’s hard,” McBride said in the post-game presser. “It’s way different now with social media. Like, I didn’t come with all that stuff.”

“But just to watch her kind of navigate it the way she has been really very impressive,” she added. “But I think it says more about her as a person than a basketball player. And I think that’s what we get every day. So, when we go on the court, like in the four lines, it’s more or so like this is just the same Liv we see.”

Kayla McBride’s assessment does make sense. The way Miles has carried herself on the court has been pinpoint accurate. No unnecessary clout chasing and just sheer talent on the court. That has been Miles’ biggest strength.

Although she might get a bit aggressive at times on the court, it’s a part and parcel of any sport. This undeviating focus on the sport makes Miles a perfect role model, despite being a rookie. Given her consistency right now, the MVP award and many other records are on the cards for her. The only thing Miles will have to ensure is her focus on the sport and her avoidance of complacency.