Olivia Miles On Her Standout WNBA Rookie Season, MVP Conversations & Learning From Her Vets

Minnesota Lynx star Olivia Miles joins Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady on Cousins to discuss life in the WNBA, her standout rookie season, and the mindset behind her immediate impact. Olivia reflects on hearing her name called on draft night, joining the four-time champion Lynx, and finding herself in MVP conversations as a rookie. She explains how she developed her unique pace and creativity, what she’s learned from teammates Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams, and the biggest lessons of her first season. Olivia also talks about becoming an All-Star starter, the rise of the WNBA, and staying grounded as her recognition grows. Olivia looks back on playing at Notre Dame under Niele Ivey, overcoming a knee injury that sidelined her for a season, and the players who inspired her growing up, including Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić and Sue Bird. She also discusses representing Team USA at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, her three-year deal with Unrivaled, and preparing for her first WNBA playoffs as Vince and T-Mac share postseason advice. Plus, Olivia opens up about life away from basketball, playing as herself in NBA 2K, and the best investments she’s made in herself. She shares why her signature goggles have inspired young fans and what it means to see people wearing her jersey. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:00 Olivia Miles Joins Cousins 01:45 Adjusting To Life In The WNBA 02:45 Olivia’s Basketball Inspirations Growing Up 04:54 Developing Her Unique Pace & Style Of Play 07:00 Biggest Lessons From Her Rookie Season 12:17 Becoming A WNBA All-Star As A Rookie 15:09 The Rise Of The WNBA & Its Young Stars 18:19 Staying Grounded Through Early Success 20:15 Playing For Niele Ivey At Notre Dame 22:54 Overcoming A Season-Ending Knee Injury 26:25 Xfinity Court Connections 35:50 Signing A Three-Year Deal With Unrivaled 37:13 Representing Team USA & Playing In FIBA 39:56 Preparing For Her First WNBA Playoffs 46:15 Choosing Basketball Over Soccer 49:50 The Best Investments She’s Made In Herself 50:43 Who Olivia Miles Is Away From Basketball 53:32 Inspiring Young Fans With Her Signature Goggles 56:28 Olivia’s Music Taste 57:24 Wrap Up Follow Cousins on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vinceandtmac/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vinceandtmac X: https://x.com/VinceAndTmac Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VinceAndTMac/ Much love to our sponsors: Xfinity: Xfinity Shield is your defensive line at home and online with built-in WiFi protection features. Detect motion with your Xfinity Gateway, no cameras needed. Plus, your devices are protected from threats and risky sites the moment they connect. Get it now at xfinity.com/shield. https://www.xfinity.com/learn/deals/offers?cmp=BAC:NA:ACQ:BAUP:PRO:GEN:HIS:COM:DIG:wifishield:2377