Olivia Miles rang in her 22nd birthday alongside her cat Bean on Wednesday. The senior guard at Notre Dame received a birthday shoutout on @bean.mw, the IG account for the kitten she shares with Fighting Irish forward Maddy Westbeld.
The post included 19 photos of Bean and Miles, as well as an endearing message.
"Thank you for being my favorite shoulder to sit and sleep and chill on. And for taking the best naps. And for loving me so much and playing with me all the time and taking me to so many new places. I love you!" part of the caption read.
![Bean perched on his mom Olivia Miles' shoulder.](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/2d209-17381644562306-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/2d209-17381644562306-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/2d209-17381644562306-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/2d209-17381644562306-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/2d209-17381644562306-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/2d209-17381644562306-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/2d209-17381644562306-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/2d209-17381644562306-1920.jpg 1920w)
Olivia Miles and Maddy Westbeld first introduced their kitten to the world on the Jan. 21 episode of "Wake up the Echoes: The Official Show of the Fighting Irish." On the podcast hosted by Tony Simeone, Miles shared that Bean is six months old and has had a valuable impact on her life.
"What Bean means to me is just indescribable," Miles said "I think Maddie and I talk about this a lot. You're able to just come back to a little cute, precious animal who doesn't really know what's going on in the world.
"His only main concerns are to eat, sleep and play, like he's doing right now. So, he doesn't care if you miss 10 shots in your game or if you win the game by 20. He's going to have the same energy, and he's going to be there for you and be at the door when we come back from a long road trip with the same energy."
Bean made his IG debut the same day the podcast episode aired with a post containing a picture of the kitten with Olivia Miles, a clip from the podcast and a picture of Bean with his two moms.
Olivia Miles thriving for Notre Dame
Olivia Miles is in her senior season at third-ranked Notre Dame (17-2) with one year of eligibility remaining. However, Miles may forego her final season with the Fighting Irish and declare for the 2025 WNBA draft instead.
Miles is having a standout season, further proving herself as one of the top women's basketball players in the country. After missing the entirety of the 2023-2024 season with a torn ACL, the 5-foot-10 guard has had an admirable return. This season, she is averaging 16.4 points per game, second only to sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo.
![Syndication: South Bend Tribune - Source: Imagn](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/25228765-1738167743.jpeg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/25228765-1738167743.jpeg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/25228765-1738167743.jpeg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/25228765-1738167743.jpeg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/25228765-1738167743.jpeg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/25228765-1738167743.jpeg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/25228765-1738167743.jpeg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/25228765-1738167743.jpeg 1920w)
Regardless of where her basketball future takes her, it seems that for the time being, Olivia Miles is enjoying being a new pet parent as she enters her 22nd year of life.
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