Olivia Miles reveals the one thing that makes Caitlin Clark 'annoying' to face

Olivia Miles, the 2026 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year, did not hold back when asked what it is like to guard Caitlin Clark.

Miles appeared on the Old Man and the Three podcast, hosted by Tommy Alter.

She was asked directly what makes Clark tough to play against.

Her answer was not about flopping or complaining to referees.

It was about the things Clark does with the basketball.

“I mean, obviously Caitlin with the shooting and her playmaking ability,” Miles said on the podcast.

“She’s so good with her right hand attacking downhill and creating for others, and obviously in transition she’s deadly.”

Then came the word that caught attention.

“So it is annoying to play against, right?” Miles said.

“You’ve got to guard her, and you’ve got to make sure that you have bodies on her.”

Miles is a guard for the Minnesota Lynx.

She was the unanimous 2026 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year.

In her rookie season, Miles averaged 19.8 points, 6.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.

She started in 40 games this season.

She was a major reason the Lynx finished as the best team in the Western Conference.

Miles is also set to play in Season 3 of Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 league featuring many WNBA stars.

Clark, meanwhile, averaged 22.3 points and 8.3 assists per game for the Indiana Fever this season.

Her shooting range and passing ability have drawn comparisons to some of the best guards in league history.

Clark’s “basketball gravity” — the way defenders are forced to crowd her beyond the arc — opens up passing lanes that few players can see.

That gravity is what makes her a great playmaker who racks up assists.

Miles and Clark have met once in a WNBA regular season game.

In that matchup, Miles scored 28 points with eight assists.

Clark produced 19 points and 10 assists in a 108-100 loss for the Fever.

The two young guards are expected to face each other many times in the coming years.

Both are part of a wave of elite guard talent in the WNBA that includes Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings.

Miles’s comments on the podcast offered a rare on-the-record look at how a fellow star guard approaches defending Clark.

Some fans and analysts have focused on Clark’s alleged flopping and complaining to officials as reasons opponents find her frustrating.

But Miles pointed to a different kind of annoyance.

“Her lighting you up can be annoying too,” the article from The Big Lead noted.

Miles did not mention any off-court antics.

She focused entirely on Clark’s skill set.

Clark’s ability to shoot from deep, attack the rim with her right hand and find open teammates in transition makes her a constant defensive problem.

Miles emphasized that defending Clark requires a team effort.

“You’ve got to make sure that you have bodies on her,” Miles said.

The comment suggests that individual defense is not enough against Clark.

Help defense and rotations are necessary to slow her down.

Clark was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

She won Rookie of the Year in 2024.

She has since become one of the most recognizable faces in women’s basketball.

Miles was drafted by the Lynx and immediately made an impact.

Her rookie season numbers put her in the conversation for future All-Star selections.

The two players represent the next generation of WNBA guard play.

Their rivalry is still in its early stages.

Only one regular season meeting has happened so far.

More matchups are coming.

Miles’s podcast appearance gave fans a direct quote that will likely be replayed for years.