Olivia Miles spurning WNBA Draft could spark trend in women’s game

The nets have been cut and champions crowned in college basketball. 

Now fans are left with trying to figure out which players are landing where and for how much.  The men’s transfer portal has been getting a lot of attention, but there’s a story in the women’s game that could spark a change. 

On Tuesday, All-American guard Olivia Miles announced on “NBA on TNT” that she’s transferring from Notre Dame to TCU. This is big news considering how elite Miles has proved to be. At 5-foot-10, the senior has an exciting and versatile skill set. Miles put up 15.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. TCU, fresh off its best season in program history, is getting one of the premier players in the game. 

The bigger story, though, is what she closed the door on, at least temporarily. Miles was projected to be a lottery pick in the WNBA Draft, which is April 14. Some even considered her to be the second-best prospect behind UConn guard and recent champion Paige Bueckers. This can be a shock to the system for fans accustomed to players rarely bypassing the status that comes with being a high pick.

It’s a new day, though. For many, hooping on campus for an extra year or two can be more profitable. According to On3.com, LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson has the highest NIL valuation in women’s basketball at $1.5 million. Bueckers has been estimated to be at $1.4 million. The projected top draft pick made history as the first NIL athlete to have their own Nike player edition basketball sneaker. It’s also not uncommon to see women’s players pushing brands in commercials. 

According to Spotrac, the top four picks in the WNBA Draft will make $78,831 as rookies. The total value of their rookie-scale contracts is $348,198. Double-check the numbers again, and it’s not hard to understand why it makes sense to keep collecting NIL dollars. 

Miles has the potential to increase her value. Her game is marketable, and she will be one of the marquee names, especially with the likes of Bueckers and TCU’s Hailey Van Lith heading to the professional world. Miles already has brand deals as well. These include Hello Gorgeous! and Stackwell Capital Digital Investment.

Miles isn’t alone in her decision to bypass the draft, either. Johnson, Ta’Niya Latson (who recently transferred from Florida State to South Carolina) and UCLA’s Lauren Betts are returning to school. Latson was the nation’s leading scorer. Betts, who was the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, just signed a NIL deal with Champion of Westwood.

The aforementioned players have given themselves another year of development, for sure. However the opportunity to grow their marketing portfolio and bank accounts can’t be ignored. Other rising women’s players are probably paying attention, too. It just takes a few to set a trend.