Minnesota’s rebuild looks to be ahead of schedule, as the Lynx cruised past a tough Atlanta defense 96-81 in last night Lynx vs Dream clash to top the WNBA standings at 5-2.
All five Lynx starters finished in the double-digits, led by veteran guard Courtney Williams’s 25 points and center Natasha Howard’s 22 points.
“Their connectivity, I felt it in training camp,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said of her team. “It’s been exciting to watch because it’s not necessarily common — typically it takes a little bit longer.”
Despite back-to-back deep playoff runs, expectations for the Lynx lowered this season after an ankle injury sidelined star forward Napheesa Collier.
Rookie Olivia Miles has stepped, leading her draft class with 15.1 points and 5.9 assists per game. She is also instantly gelling with Williams, Howard, Nia Coffey, and Kayla McBride.
“She is the focal point of a lot of the game at such a young age,” Reeve said of this year’s No. 2 pick. “I felt it before the game, her level of focus.”
Where to Watch Lynx vs Sky WNBA Game
Minnesota now heads to Chicago, capping its season series with the Sky tomorrow at 7:30 PM ET (ION).
Dallas found itself stuck in first gear last night, losing last night's Lynx vs Wings clash to Minnesota 90-86. The youth-powered battle featuring Olivia Miles and Azzi Fudd saw the Wings fall to 1-2 on the season.
Despite second-year Dallas guard Paige Bueckers’s 27 points, the Wings faded down the stretch, handing it over with a 16-point fourth quarter effort.
“I told them, ‘There’s selfishness in this locker room,’” said Dallas head coach Jose Fernandez. “You gotta look in the mirror and be accountable on how you played.”
The Lynx has now won two in a row — even without injured leader Napheesa Collier — as center Natasha Howard added 26 points and all five starters finished in double-digit scoring.
2026 No. 2 draft pick Olivia Miles put up 15 points for Minnesota, while No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd built on her Dallas debut with a healthy eight-point night.
“Each game she’s played is going to present new challenges,” Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve said of Miles. “That’s what I’ve enjoyed with her.”
Where to Watch Minnesota Lynx & Dallas Wings WNBA Games
Minnesota next hosts Chicago on Sunday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass), while the Wings gear up to face Washington on Monday at 8 PM ET (Peacock).
A new generation takes center stage tonight, as the Dallas Wings gear up to host the Minnesota Lynx for a Texas-sized showdown behind youth firepower.
2025 Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers enters averaging 17.5 points per game through three Wings clashes. However, 2026 No. 2 draft pick Olivia Miles is averaging 17 points for the Lynx through two.
“She’s gonna be a heck of a player,” said Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts, singing Miles’s praises before Minnesota topped the Mercury 88-84 on Tuesday. “She’s just got elite-level vision.”
Dallas’s own star rookie remains in question, after No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd missed Tuesday’s loss to Atlanta with a lingering knee issue.
“Out of an abundance of caution and her long-term health, we’re keeping her out tonight,” Wings coach Jose Fernandez said before the game.
Fudd is questionable going into tonight’s game, as the former UConn star looks to bounce back from Saturday’s quiet, three-point pro debut.
Where to Watch Minnesota Lynx vs Dallas Lynx WNBA Game
Minnesota takes on Dallas tonight at 8 PM ET, live on Prime.
The Portland Fire set off first-win fireworks on Tuesday, topping New York 98-96 behind a Sarah Ashlee Barker put-back buzzer-beater to cap a dramatic WNBA slate.
Liberty rookie Pauline Astier exploded for 24 points in the first half, before the 2026 expansion side stormed back to secure the debut victory.
“It’s very special,” Barker, who was dealing with undisclosed family issues before the game, said postgame. “But I think the thing that I’ll remember the most is how much we had each other’s backs.”
“What she has gone through the last 24 hours, it’s emotional,” Fire forward Bridget Carleton said of her teammate. “I’m really, really proud and happy that we can all be there for her and, and she gets to embrace this moment.”
WNBA Rookie Olivia Miles Lifts Minnesota Over Phoenix
Portland wasn’t the night’s only underdog, as Minnesota rookie Olivia Miles powered the Lynx over 2025 runner-up Phoenix 88-84.
With star Napheesa Collier sidelined, Minnesota saw six players hit double-digit scoring — including Miles’s 13 points, six rebounds, and seven assists — stifling Mercury guard Kahleah Copper’s 30-point performance.
“We’re happy with the overall response,” Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said. “To out-rebound these guys like we did was key to winning the game.”
Lynx vs. Wings, Liberty vs. Fire Headline WNBA on Prime
Both teams are at it again tomorrow on Prime, as Minnesota faces Dallas at 8 PM ET before New York has another run at Portland at 10 PM ET.
The WNBA’s 30th season tipped off with a bang, as the league welcomed its newest generation to the pros via a hyper-competitive weekend slate.
2026 No. 2 draft pick Olivia Miles impressed for Minnesota in her debut, putting up 21 points and eight assists in Saturday’s 91-90 loss to Atlanta. Elsewhere, Seattle rookie Flau’jae Johnson averaged 14 points over her first two games.
“My team trusts me, and they need me to do that,” Miles said postgame. “So just staying aggressive, and the outcome will be the outcome.”
Other top prospects from the Class of 2026 began their pro careers with a slightly more muted approach. Highly touted No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd came off the bench in Dallas’s 107-104 win over Indiana on Saturday.
“Keep doing what she’s doing, it’s her first year in the league,” said Wings coach Jose Fernandez. “We got five really talented backcourt players.”
2026 NCAA champions Kiki Rice, Lauren Betts, and Angela Dugalic also struggled to find their footing in Friday’s Bruin reunion. There, Betts and Dugalic combined for just two points in Washington’s 68-65 win over scoreless Rice’s Toronto.
Where to Watch WNBA Rookies Azzi Fudd & Olivia Miles
Fudd faces another test tomorrow, as Dallas takes on Atlanta at 8 PM ET, before Minnesota visits Phoenix at 10 PM ET, live on League Pass.
The Minnesota Lynx gave a strong second-half performance on Monday, beating Nigeria 88-79 to notch a second preseason win — and bring pro women's basketball back to Kansas City.
The Lynx vs. Nigeria matchup stayed close through the first half. However, Minnesota took control in the third quarter before holding then edge in the fourth to close out the nine-point win.
In front of 6,510 fans, the game offered an early look at how the Lynx might blend its veteran core with its rookie additions.
Courtney Williams led Minnesota with 17 points, while No. 2 draft pick Olivia Miles added 11 points, five rebounds, and five assists over 19 minutes of playing time.
While captain Napheesa Collier remains sidelined with an ankle injury, fans were equally excited to see this year's second overall pick in action — and to welcome the WNBA back to town.
Monday marked the WNBA's first game in the Midwestern city in two decades, adding another layer to an exhibition that already served as an important preseason test.
The moment was not lost on Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve.
"Being here in Kansas City, I’m giddy about it, because I like being here," Reeve told the Kansas City Star. "I hope that this is a sports town that gets professional sports if they want it, and hopefully they support it."
How to Watch the Minnesota Lynx in WNBA Preseason
The four-time WNBA champions wrap up WNBA preseason play on Friday against the Toronto Tempo in Minneapolis, free on WNBA League Pass.
The Lynx subsequently tip off regular-season play against the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, May 10th at 7 PM ET, live on Victory+.
The league’s newest generation hit the court on Saturday, as the Class of 2026 dove into WNBA preseason play while rookies look to earn their regular-season roster spots.
Indiana rookie Raven Johnson saw 18 pro minutes in the Fever’s 109-91 win over New York, registering six points and eight assists on 3-3 shooting in her WNBA debut.
“I thought Raven did a great job,” said coach Stephanie White.
“Certainly we know what she can bring on the defensive end of the floor. She’s going to continue to bring that night-in and night-out, and she’s going to just learn on the offensive end.”
Newcomers also shined in Minnesota’s 77-66 victory over Washington, as top draft picks Olivia Miles and Lauren Betts faced off for first time as pros.
Miles put up eight points in 17 minutes for the Lynx, while Betts and fellow Mystics first-year Cotie McMahon combined for 24 — aided by 2025 pick Georgia Amoore, who saw her first post-ACL injury action for Washington.
Former LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson also hit WNBA preseason court running, notching 12 points and four rebounds in 23 minutes for Seattle, as the Storm fell to Golden State 78-76.
How to Watch Rookies Feature in 2026 WNBA Preseason Games
Miles returns for Minnesota tonight, when the Lynx tip off against Nigeria at 8 PM ET, live on WNBA League Pass.
Olivia Miles is headed to Minnesota after the Lynx selected the TCU guard with the No. 2 overall pick in Monday night's WNBA draft.
The pick gives Minnesota one of the most polished guards in her class while addressing a clear backcourt need. Miles enters the WNBA as an elite passer and lead creator, adding another layer to a Lynx team that finished with the league's best regular-season record last year at 34-10.
Miles earned the No. 2 slot with a standout final college season at TCU. After transferring from Notre Dame, she played in all 38 games and averaged 19.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.6 assists. She helped lead the Horned Frogs to a 32-6 record, a second straight Big 12 title, and an Elite Eight run while also winning Big 12 Player of the Year.
Her resume stretches beyond one season. Miles leaves college a three-time AP All-American and one of the most creative playmakers in recent draft classes. Her court vision, pace, and ability to create in transition made her a lottery lock in most mock 2026 WNBA drafts.
Minnesota's fit is also part of the story. The Lynx already have a veteran core led by Napheesa Collier — who recently received a core qualifying offer — and Courtney Williams, which should ease Miles's transition to the pros.
At the Draft, Olivia Miles took time to reflect on her journey to the WNBA.
"Deep breath, that's why I got emotional," Miles told reporters. "It's finally here, finally heard my name. This is what this was for."
With the No. 2 pick, the Lynx added yet another player who can help keep the perennial contender in the title conversation ahead of the 2026 WNBA season.
Women's basketball analysts remain divided over the top 2026 WNBA Draft selection, as WNBA mock drafts gear up for the Dallas Wings' second consecutive No. 1 pick.
The Wings face a crucial decision between 19-year-old Spanish center Awa Fam or a skilled guard to complement 2025 top pick Paige Bueckers. Bleacher Report and The Sporting News both predict that Dallas will take Fam, citing her rare combination of size, skill, and athleticism at such a young age.
Two playoff teams from 2025 — Minnesota and Seattle — own lottery picks due to previous trades. Both franchises can make strategic roster additions without rebuilding pressure.
TCU point guard Olivia Miles holds strong second-pick projections across major WNBA mock draft boards. The 23-year-old transfer could bring elite passing skills and improved 3-point shooting to strengthen Minnesota's aging backcourt.
UConn's Azzi Fudd lands at No. 3 in most projections despite struggling in the Huskies' Final Four upset. The sharpshooting guard remains one of the draft's premier floor-spacing options for lottery team Seattle.
UCLA's NCAA championship run also boosted its seniors into first-round consideration. Bleacher Report moved Most Outstanding Player Lauren Betts to Washington's No. 4 pick, while The Sporting News sees the Mystics selecting Bruins point guard Kiki Rice instead.
Guards Gabriela Jaquez and Gianna Kneepkens also drew first-round projections after UCLA's dominant tournament performance. Bleacher Report lists six total Bruins on its 2026 WNBA mock draft tally, potentially rivaling South Carolina's 2023 record.
LSU's Flau'jae Johnson remains a mock draft favorite despite inconsistent senior production, with analysts predicting the athletic wing to land between No. 5 and No. 6.
How to Watch the 2026 WNBA Draft
The 2026 WNBA Draft takes place on April 13th, live on ESPN.
Olivia Miles delivered a double-double on Sunday, registering 18 points and 10 rebounds to lift No. 3 seed TCU over No. 6 Washington 62-59 in an overtime Women's March Madness thriller.
The 31-5 Horned Frogs subsequently advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive season, extending its home winning streak to 44 games. TCU has now tied No. 1 seed Texas for the NCAA's longest active winning streak.
Miles had just four points at halftime, before taking over down the stretch. However, she missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer in regulation.
"I was crashing out multiple times. I was angry, I was feeling all the emotions because I didn't want to go home," the Notre Dame transfer said postgame. "It'd be a disservice for me not to be resilient for them, and for myself."
TCU's Clara Silva scored 16 points, including the go-ahead layup to start overtime. Silva also hit game-tying and tie-breaking baskets late in regulation, while Taylor Bigby added 15 points in the second-round win.
Sayvia Sellers led 22-11 Washington with 18 points, but missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer as time expired in overtime. Huskies guard Avery Howell scored 14 points while Brynn McGaughy added 13.
How to Watch TCU's Olivia Miles in Women's March Madness
TCU will next face No. 2 Iowa or No. 10 Virginia in the Sweet 16 on Saturday, after the Huskies fell short of their first Sweet 16 appearance since Kelsey Plum led them there in 2017.