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Michael Voepel
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles, who is projected as the No. 2 pick by the Seattle Storm in ESPN’s most recent WNBA mock draft, said after the Irish’s loss to TCU in the Sweet 16 Saturday that she is still undecided about whether she will enter the draft.
She is draft-eligible but also still has one season of college eligibility left.
“I am still thinking about what I want to do, but leaning towards the draft,” Miles said in Notre Dame’s locker room after the game. “But tomorrow, I might wake up and be like, ‘I want to come back.’ So, it just changes every day. I love college. I think I’ve outgrown it a little bit, though, so that makes my decision tougher to stay. It’s comfortable, a place where you have security.
“The W .. the volatility is up and down. So I don’t know. I’m deciding between a bunch of factors.”
Generally, the WNBA encourages players to make their draft-eligibility decision within 48 hours after their last college game but the league has also allowed some leeway on that.
The 5-foot-10 Miles had 10 points, 3 assists and 2 rebounds for the Irish in the 71-62 loss. She played 23 minutes Saturday, but acknowledged the ankle injury she suffered in the NCAA tournament’s first round has been tough to play through.
“My ankle hurts a lot,” Miles said. “But I had to push through. Gotta play with my girls. Gotta finish up this season.”
Miles is draft-eligible because she has been in college for four seasons and is already 22. Her remaining year of college eligibility comes from sitting out 2023-24 with a knee injury she suffered at the end of the 2022-23 regular season. Miles came back from that injury to start all 34 games this season and average 15.4 points, 5.8 assists and 5.6 rebounds.
She said the idea of playing right away in the WNBA season, which starts May 16, is a bit daunting, as she could use the summer to rest and recover more. But she said that factor alone won’t sway her decision.
Especially since she projects as a lottery pick. UConn guard Paige Bueckers is the expected No. 1 selection by the Dallas Wings. The rest of the lottery order after Seattle is picks 3 and 4 to the Washington Mystics.
“[Potentially being] a lottery pick is a lot to give up. I’ve worked hard for that,” Miles said. “I truly believe I’ve put myself in great position for teams to look at me and see my value at that level. I have to trust myself with whatever decision I make; either decision would be good for me. I need to make a few calls and talk to some people. But I’ll be prepared and confident in the decision.”
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