This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.
Good morning, Winners! Olivia Miles is blowing up every WNBA mock draft you've seen on the internet for the last six months.
The Notre Dame — er, well, uh — reportedly ex-Notre Dame point guard is using her extra year of eligibility to go back to school for one last year. But the twist is that she won't be going back to Notre Dame — she's entering the transfer portal instead, according to reporting from ESPN's Shams Charania.
WHERE IS SHE HEADED?: Five potential landing spots for Olivia Miles as she leaves Notre Dame
Shocking is the only proper way to describe this. Miles, 22, was pegged in most mock drafts (including our own!) as the No. 2 overall pick to the Seattle Storm in April's WNBA draft. At worst, she wouldn't make it beyond No. 3 to the Washington Mystics. Now, if everything goes well next season, she'll potentially be the top draft pick in the 2026 draft.
The question everyone wants to know is why? It's one thing for a player to go back to school. It's another for them to forgo the jump to pro and change schools. This decision is a bit puzzling from Miles.
We know it's not name, image and likeness money. That cash will be there regardless — endorsements don't disappear when players turn pro. Whatever NIL opportunities Miles had in college, she'd keep in the WNBA. She'd also certainly get a few more.
There's been speculation that everyone's mock drafts are just wrong. This is the theory I buy into. Maybe Miles just wasn't the sure bet at No. 2 that everyone thought she was. ESPN's Kevin Pelton says Seattle is "extremely high" on French center Dominique Malonga, who played with the French national team in the Olympics over the summer. Malonga is a potential star talent at 6-foot-6 with perimeter skills.
As far as why she'd transfer from Notre Dame? Well, that's less obvious. Maybe there's another opportunity for Miles to take on a much larger role elsewhere. The Fighting Irish didn't finish the season well. Sonia Citron is leaving for the WNBA. Hannah Hidalgo's role is only going to increase. Maybe Miles is leaving to allow for a clean break for both sides.
Regardless of the reasons why, this is happening. WNBA draft boards everywhere are shattered. I can't wait to see how this plays out in a couple of weeks.
