Why did Olivia Miles not declare for the 2025 WNBA Draft?

Olivia Miles will forego the 2025 WNBA Draft and enter the transfer portal for her fifth year of college basketball eligibility, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard was widely expected to be the second player selected in this year's event, just after UConn's Paige Bueckers, but will play college basketball for one more season.

Miles and the Fighting Irish made a run to the Sweet 16 and were even ranked No. 1 in the nation at one point this season. It’s not clear why the guard decided to pass on the WNBA Draft, or why she decided to enter the portal.

One possible explanation is the current WNBA Collective enters its opt-out period in October. With ratings soaring and the League’s rising popularity, rookies could stand to make more money coming into the league in 2026.

Olvia Miles and the Fighting Irish lost steam towards the end of the year, losing in the second round of the ACC Tournament and then falling against the TCU Horned Frogs in the Sweet 16.

"It just changes every day. I love college. I think I've outgrown it a little bit, though, so that makes my decision tougher to stay. It's comfortable, a place where you have security," Olivia Miles said after the loss to TCU.

This season, Olivia Miles averaged 15.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. She also scored 48.3% from the field and 40.6% from three-point land.

The Philipsburg, New Jersey native, missed the entire 2023-2024 season after suffering a knee injury the previous year. In four seasons at Notre Dame, she’s averaged 14.2 points, six rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

Miles will be exercising her additional COVID eligibility year for a chance to play in a new home.

With Olivia Miles staying in college, who could be the second pick of the WNBA Draft?

It’s widely expected that Paige Bueckers will be the first name called on WNBA Draft night. What happens after that is not as clear now, as Olivia Miles, the potential second-overall pick, will enter the transfer portal.

USC forward Kiki Iriafen, and Miles’ backcourt mate at Notre Dame, Sonia Cintron, are the most likely possibilities. Iriafen averaged 18.2 points 8.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists and complemented JuJu Watkins with the Trojans. Cintron scored 14.1 points 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists this year.

French center Dominique Malonga had a strong campaign at last year’s Olympics and could also garner consideration. The French player will be 20 in November, which makes her eligible to join a WNBA franchise this season.