How Lynx star Olivia Miles became the WNBA's Rookie of the Year - ESPN

«You can't f---ing guard me!»

That's what Olivia Miles screamed into the void at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles after beating her defender for her patented left-handed finger roll and drawing a foul.

«The Spectacle,» a nickname that has gained momentum in recent weeks, pounded her chest and high-fived teammates. Then, she calmly walked to the free throw line — as if someone else had shown that emotion.

«In a way, it's like a different persona that I embody,» Miles told ESPN. «But I've learned a lot from Kobe [Bryant] and his mentality. He had to develop that to be as successful as he was and to tap into that killer mode. I think it's so important if you want to achieve things at the highest level, you have to have that mental toughness and that supreme confidence that no one can touch you at any given moment.»

Miles, who was named the unanimous WNBA Rookie of the Year on Monday, has been a fiery, 5-foot-10 star for the Minnesota Lynx, who will fight to prolong their season Tuesday against the No. 8 seed New York Liberty.

As the Lynx, the No. 1 seed and odds-on favorites to win the WNBA championship going into the playoffs, attempt to stave off elimination, Miles is the centerpiece of that ambition. Lynx fans haven't been this giddy about a young talent since Maya Moore, who broke their hearts by retiring in 2018 when she was just 29 years old.

Fan support for Miles multiplied when she carried the Lynx as former MVP candidate Napheesa Collier recovered from a pair of offseason ankle surgeries. With Collier out and a revamped Lynx roster learning to jell, Miles — the second pick in the 2026 WNBA draft — soared, breaking records once held by Caitlin Clark and other first-year stars who hit the ground running.

Miles became