Talk about a gut punch: The Minnesota Lynx, who just snatched up two huge WNBA awards, got absolutely bounced from the playoffs on Tuesday. They were the No. 1 seed, everyone! And they lost to the No. 8 seed New York Liberty. That’s a first in WNBA history, folks. An unprecedented collapse, even as their coach and a rookie star were racking up hardware.
Olivia Miles Just Broke a Rookie Record and Nobody Is Ready For What’s Next
The biggest shocker in the awards world might be how Olivia Miles is playing after that playoff exit. This kid, the No. 2 overall pick, was named the unanimous Rookie of the Year. Unanimous! That puts her in some elite company, only the sixth player ever to do it. Miles dropped 19.8 points and dished out six assists per game, leading all rookies in both categories. She wasn’t just good for a rookie, either. Miles finished eighth in the league in scoring and seventh in assists. And get this: she straight-up shattered Caitlin Clark’s rookie points record, finishing with 790. She was the driving force behind the Lynx’s 33-11 record and their No. 1 seed, making this playoff exit even crazier.
Jessica Shepard’s $2 Million Deal Just Made History and the League Is Still Talking About It
The Dallas Wings are probably still high-fiving over this one. Jessica Shepard, who they snagged in free agency on a two-year, $2 million deal, was just named the Most Improved Player. And holy cow, did she earn it. This was her first season as a full-time starter, and she absolutely exploded. She averaged 14.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. Last season? Eight points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. That’s a jump! She finished second in the league in rebounding and eleventh in assists, and get this: she was one of only two players (alongside Angel Reese) to average a double-double. Oh, and she led the entire league with six triple-doubles. The kicker? She recorded just the second 20-20-10 game in WNBA history. She won in a tight race too, grabbing 29 votes against Shakira Austin’s 25 and Carla Leite’s 11. What a season!
Cheryl Reeve’s Coach of the Year Win Is Getting Hard to Ignore
Even with the playoff disaster, you can’t deny Cheryl Reeve earned that Coach of the Year award. The Lynx lost six players from their rotation from last season’s 34-10 squad. Their star forward, Napheesa Collier, was sidelined until late July after double ankle surgery. Yet, Reeve still guided them to the best record in the league. That’s some serious coaching, no matter how the playoffs ended.
The awards aren’t even done yet, with MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Player of the Year, and all the All-WNBA and All-Defensive teams still to come. The league hasn’t dropped a schedule for those announcements, so we’re all just waiting on pins and needles to see who else gets crowned.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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