Top WNBA Draft Prospect Opts For Transfer Portal Instead

Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles isn’t entering the WNBA draft, and she isn’t staying with the Irish either. She’s entering the transfer portal, ESPN reported Monday night.

Miles is 22 and eligible for next month’s draft, but has another year of eligibility left because she tore her ACL in 2023. The report came as something of a surprise, as Miles has been projected as high as the No. 2 overall pick, behind only Paige Bueckers. She said as recently as Saturday that she was “leaning towards the draft,” but made other comments that ultimately hinted at her decision to stay in school.

“The W … the volatility is up and down,” she said, according to ESPN. The 2025 WNBA rookie class is in a unique position, as the league’s collective bargaining agreement expires after the Finals. That could mean much larger salaries in the future, but it also means committing to the WNBA’s low rookie wages—just $78,831 for top-four picks next season—and facing down a potential strike or owners’ lockout.

Another complicating factor is that the House settlement permitting revenue sharing is likely to kick in next season, potentially unlocking large salaries—particularly at schools that don’t emphasize football—in addition to the NIL (name, image, and likeness) checks Miles is already cashing. Miles has promoted brands including Celsius and CVS.

Miles has been at Notre Dame for the last four years and led this season’s team to a No. 3 seed before they were knocked out by TCU in the Sweet 16. She averaged 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists after missing all of last season.

The WNBA draft is in just two weeks.