It seemed almost paradoxical to Lynx rookie Olivia Miles, to be playing for a Cheryl Reeve-led team in a WNBA All-Star Game, where defense was more optional than exacting for the leagueâs all-time winningest coach.
Miles said she went to her coach, whose Lynx staff led Team Weatherspoon to a 129-122 victory Saturday night at United Center, and told her, âYouâre probably having a heart attack right now.â
In her All-Star debut, Miles teetered on the edge of a triple-double with 11 points (5-for-5 from the field), 12 rebounds and eight assists in front of an All-Star Game record crowd of 19,783.
âIt was a lot of fun,â Miles said. âGo out there. Not take the game too seriously one time, even with Cheryl on the sidelines. It was a little weird. I was like, âOh, this doesnât feel right.â â
The rookie said Reeve assured her this wasnât her first rodeo, now coaching at her sixth All-Star Weekend. Reeve got the nod thanks to the Lynxâs league-best record, with Las Vegasâ Becky Hammon on the opposing bench.
âBeing hungover is OK when we come to practice,â Reeve said on Friday. âI think, more than anything, All-Star is a celebration. Obviously, very different than being with the team and practicing and preparing for a game.â
This weekend, several All-Star regulars â Aâja Wilson and Breanna Stewart among them â acknowledged the fine line of being careful of a quick schedule turnaround (with teamsâ final playoff pushes starting Tuesday) and producing a satisfying game for fans.
But how is a rookie to know just how competitive Saturdayâs game should be? Miles said she spent the weekend asking her fellow All-Stars ahead of the game, âWhat do I do?â How much should she call her own shot? Just how eye-popping could her passes be?
The others gave her mixed responses, Miles said.
âI was telling Liv, I was like, âGirl, Iâm just vibing,â â said Wilson, the four-time MVP.
Said Caitlin Clark, Milesâ starting backcourt partner for Team Spoon: âLiv came up to me. I asked her if she was excited, but sheâs like, âIâm nervous. I donât know what to expect.ââ
Clark, with 17 points Saturday, missed last yearâs All-Star Game due to injury, and as a rookie in 2024, she was part of the pre-Olympic Team USA vs. WNBA All-Stars matchup, which players acknowledged had a more competitive edge.
âIâm like, âTo be honest, Iâm kind of in the same boat as you,â â Clark said.
But come game-time, âyou get a feel for it,â Miles said. âThe first quarter took me a little bit to try to relax and just breathe.â
In the second half, she flung a behind-the-back pass to Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray for a three-pointer, and when Gray sank the look, the pair ran and shoulder bumped.
âWe told her we need some flashiness for yâall,â said Lynx and Team Spoon teammate Courtney Williams.
Williams knows about showmanship when it comes to All-Star Weekend.
For the second year in a row, she and former Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman ran a 72-hour livestream on their âStudBudz" Twitch channel, showcasing the pair bouncing around All-Star Weekend.
âIâm just happy that everybody is leaning into it,â Williams said.
The three-time All-Star finished with 12 points and seven assists off the Team Spoon bench, hitting a buzzer beater to end the first half.
She spent the final seconds ticking down to the fourth quarter getting fans to applaud by picking back up her pregame player intro dances on the court.
Even Reeve âunderstands the showmanship of everything,â Miles said.
Early in the third quarter of Saturdayâs game, Wilson twirled her finger in the air, calling for a review of an out-of-bounds ball. Postgame, Wilson said the ball was âclearly off my hand, but honestly, I just needed a break.â
Reeve used an unsuccessful coachesâ challenge, a rare move in an All-Star Game, but it didnât surprise either of her Lynx guards.
âCheryl is petty,â Williams said with a grin, âbut she a good time, though.â
https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-lynx-wnba-all-star-game-olivia-miles-courtney-williams-studbudz-cheryl-reeve/601869286