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Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles is producing one of the best rookie seasons in WNBA history. Even that was not enough to break one of Caitlin Clark’s most impressive first-year records. That distinction became important after analyst Zena Keita mistakenly said on The Athletic’s “No Offseason” podcast that Miles had set the WNBA rookie assists record.
Clark still owns it.
The Indiana Fever guard finished her 2024 rookie season with 337 assists. Miles had broken Minnesota’s franchise record for assists by a rookie, not the league-wide mark. After Clark supporters criticized the error, Keita clarified her comments on X and said she had misspoken after recording multiple podcasts. She later apologized for sharing the incorrect statistic and acknowledged that it should have been caught before the episode was published.
The correction should not diminish Miles’ season. It should underscore how absurdly high Clark set the bar.
Olivia Miles is chasing Caitlin Clark's rookie history
Miles has been one of the biggest stories of the 2026 season. The Lynx rookie entered the World Cup break as a central contributor for one of the WNBA’s best teams. She scored 21 points in Minnesota’s 89-81 loss to the Atlanta Dream and has drawn significant attention in the Rookie of the Year race.
Me having to log back into X to say…this was a simple misspeak. The stat was that she broke the LYNX rookie single assist record, not WNBA. I had done 2 podcasts before this one & simply misspoke. I am not racist, and I don’t hate CC. You can think whatever else past that, idc. https://t.co/RTn0BaTor1
— Zena Keita (@itszenakeita) August 30, 2026Miles also could surpass Clark’s rookie scoring total of 769 points, helped in part by playing a longer regular-season schedule. That would be a major accomplishment regardless of the additional games.
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The assists record is a different challenge.
Clark averaged 8.4 assists during her rookie season while handling enormous offensive responsibility for Indiana. She created opportunities in transition, operated out of the pick-and-roll and routinely punished defenses for sending extra attention in her direction. The fact that an analyst prematurely credited Miles with breaking the record is revealing. Clark’s numbers have become so familiar that every rising guard is measured against them.
Miles deserves to have her achievements presented accurately. So does Clark.
One incorrect sentence turned into an unnecessary controversy, but the underlying basketball conversation is worth having. The WNBA has welcomed two exceptional playmakers in a three-year span, and both already have altered what teams can expect from rookie point guards. Miles still has time to add to her remarkable debut season. Clark’s assist record, however, appears safe for at least one more year.
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