While Paige Bueckers is still widely expected to be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, the competition is heating up. Another college star, Olivia Miles, is not only putting up huge numbers but also joining Caitlin Clark in a few feats. And even Candace Parker, the legend herself, is all in on this rising star. 

She picked Olivia Miles as her favorite player, not Bueckrs. When she was asked about who stood out to her, she didn’t hesitate saying, “[Olivia Miles’] game is WNBA ready.” That’s high praise, especially coming from someone who’s a 3-time champion herself. 

And honestly, for all right reasons. Miles has been absolutely dominant this season. She’s averaging 16.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 7.2 assists while shooting an impressive 53.4%. Also, she’s been putting up double-digit performances in every game this season except for one. 

The Notre Dame guard recently made history, becoming the first collegiate women’s player to record back-to-back triple-doubles. To put that into perspective, Caitlin Clark did it earlier last year, and now Miles has been the first to join the elite club since. What’s even more insane is how quickly Miles has bounced back after missing the entire 2023-24 season with a knee injury.

In fact, she’s been so good that her draft stock has skyrocketed. The 21-year-old was initially projected to be a fourth overall pick, but now she’s almost locked in as the second pick—probably going to the LA Sparks. 

Earlier, the only lack in her game was her 3-point shooting, and this season she has improved that, too. In her last season playing season, she shot 22.8% from deep. This season? A massive leap to 44%. 

And not to forget the age factor. While Miles is only 21 years old, Paige Bueckers is already 23 and entering her prime. Miles’ youth gives her a certain edge, but Bueckers is not someone who’s ready to give up her throne just yet. 

Paige Bueckers breaks 15-year-old UConn record

Paige Bueckers is still putting up monster numbers of her own. 19.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting 56%. But there’s been some chatter about her shot attempts being down, though. However, she recently made some history of her own at UConn. 

She became the fastest Huskies player to reach 2,000 career points, surpassing even her idol, Maya Moore. The record had stood for 14 years, but on January 19, in a game against Seton Hall, Bueckers broke it with a pull-up jumper in the second quarter. 

The crowd went wild, and it was clear that this was a moment she’d cherish forever. It only took her 102 games to reach that milestone, beating Moore’s mark of 108 games. Other UConn legends like Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson took 133 and 123 games, respectively, to reach the same number.

As for the rest of Bueckers’ career, she’s just 1,036 points away from breaking Maya Moore’s all-time career record of 3,036 points, which she set back in 2011. But realistically, 13 games left is a pretty tough hill to climb. Still, it shows how incredible her journey has been. 

When asked about the milestone, Bueckers said it felt surreal, expressing gratitude for everything she’s accomplished at UConn. “It’s kind of crazy to hear,” she said. “It’s kind of surreal to think about all of the people that have passed through here and my journey and how I’ve come to where I am.”

It’s amazing to see how far she’s come after all the injuries she’s faced. Bueckers missed 19 games during her sophomore year and her entire junior year. So, is Bueckers’ throne in jeopardy? It’s tough to say right now. But both Bueckers and Miles have massive potential, and the upcoming draft is going to be an iconic one.