Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles has been the talk of the WNBA this season. As she strengthens her case for the 2026 Rookie of the Year award, some have even begun wondering whether she belongs in the MVP conversation alongside Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson.
But SKOR North’s Phil Mackey has taken things a step further. The analyst believes Miles’ historic start has already provided enough evidence to conclude that the Lynx guard is a better overall player than Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark.
Phil Mackey Explains Why He Believes Olivia Miles Is Better Than Caitlin Clark
Mackey laid out his reasoning by comparing Miles’ efficiency and overall impact to Clark’s this season.
“Olivia Miles is ninth in scoring average at 19 points a game, just one behind Caitlin Clark, on 57% from the field versus Caitlin Clark, who’s at 40% from the field this season,” Mackey said. “Caitlin Clark is not nearly the efficient scorer that Olivia Miles is, even though she does have playmaking ability.”
The analyst argued that while Clark remains one of the league’s premier playmakers, Miles has already shown elite vision and decision-making on the court despite being just 15 games into her WNBA career.
“I’ve seen enough in the first 15 games of her WNBA career to say that she is one of the best playmakers in terms of distribution, pace, finding open dribbling lanes, passing lanes, in the entire league as a rookie,” Mackey added.
🗣️: I’ve seen enough
“Olivia Miles is a better player than Caitlin Clark.”
– @PhilMackey pic.twitter.com/DDNfFZgzvY
— SKOR North – Minnesota Sports (@SKORNorth) June 18, 2026
Mackey then left little room for interpretation when he summarized his stance. “So, to reiterate my take. After 15 games, I’ve seen enough. Olivia Miles is a better player than Caitlin Clark.”
One comment pushed back, questioning whether such a conclusion could realistically be reached so early in a rookie season. Mackey, however, remained unmoved, doubling down on his stance by writing: “Correct. I’ve Seen Enough. Olivia Miles is better than Caitlin Clark.”
Mackey’s take will inevitably irk Clark supporters. The comparison is complicated by the vastly different situations each player entered. Clark was immediately tasked with carrying the Fever’s offense as the face of the franchise in her first year, while Miles stepped into a Lynx team built to contend for a championship.
Still, through her first 15 games in the league, Miles is averaging 19.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game while shooting an impressive 56.6% from the field and 91.0% from the free-throw line.
For comparison, Clark averaged nearly 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists through her first 15 games in her rookie season in 2024 while shooting around 37.4% from the field, 32.9% from beyond the arc, and 89.6% from the foul line.
MORE: ‘Rookie of the Year & MVP’ – Former NBA Guard Makes Bold Declaration About Lynx Phenom Olivia Miles
Miles recently solidified her Rookie of the Year credentials on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Sparks, producing the best performance of her young career. The Lynx guard scored a career-high 31 points on 12-of-15 shooting and set a WNBA rookie record with 24 points in the first-half during Minnesota’s 99-83 victory.
The No. 2 overall pick is on to something special, but she is unlikely to convince many yet in superstar debates, including Clark’s vast fanbase. Fifteen games may have been enough for Mackey to make up his mind about Clark vs Miles, but the debate is likely only just beginning.
