Forget what you might have heard on “No Offseason” for a second, because here’s the real deal: Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles might be having one of the best rookie seasons in WNBA history, but Caitlin Clark’s rookie assists record? Yeah, that thing is still standing. Analyst Zena Keita mistakenly said on The Athletic’s podcast that Miles had shattered it, but the Indiana Fever phenom’s 337 assists from her 2024 rookie campaign are still the gold standard. Miles *did* break Minnesota’s franchise rookie assists record, which is huge, but the league-wide mark? Not yet.
Miles’ Monster Year Is Still Legit, Despite the Record Mix-Up
Look, the correction should not diminish one bit what Olivia Miles is doing out there. This rookie is an absolute force and one of the biggest stories of the 2026 WNBA season. Heading into the World Cup break, she was a central contributor for one of the WNBA’s best teams, period. We just saw her drop 21 points in Minnesota’s 89-81 loss to the Atlanta Dream, and she’s drawing some serious Rookie of the Year buzz. And get this: Miles could actually surpass Clark’s rookie scoring total of 769 points. That’s a major accomplishment, even with the longer regular-season schedule she’s playing. Miles deserves every bit of credit for her achievements, and they need to be presented accurately.
Caitlin Clark’s Bar Is Just Different
But let’s be real about why that assists record is such a beast to tackle. Clark wasn’t just good; she was absurd in her rookie season, averaging 8.4 assists per game. She carried enormous offensive responsibility for the Fever, creating chances in transition, running the pick-and-roll like a seasoned vet, and just torching defenses that dared to send extra attention her way. The fact that an analyst could even *mistakenly* credit someone else with breaking that record tells you everything you need to know about the bar Clark set. Her numbers became so ingrained, so familiar, so fast that every rising guard gets measured against them. It’s a testament to how wild that 2024 rookie season truly was.
This whole thing, an incorrect sentence turning into an unnecessary controversy, just highlights an awesome basketball conversation. The WNBA has welcomed two exceptional playmakers in just three years with Clark and Miles, and both have fundamentally altered what we can expect from rookie point guards. Miles still has time to add more insane stats to her debut season, but for now, Clark’s assist record looks absolutely safe for at least one more year.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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