Everything Notre Dame WBB PG Olivia Miles said on ACC Network TV hit
Notre Dame women’s basketball point guard Olivia Miles joined the ACC Network Friday evening for an interview spanning a plethora of topics. Here’s the entirety of that conversation.
ACCN: What do you take more satisfaction in; scoring, rebounding or assisting?
Miles: Definitely assists.
ACCN: Why?
Miles: I say this a lot, but it’s just really rewarding for me to connect with a teammate. Especially the ability to play with my best friends every night and go to war with them. Being able to connect with them on a pass and them hitting a shot, it’s so special for me.
ACCN: Who are your top passers in basketball, men or women?
Miles: Sue Bird, Magic [Johnson], Steph Curry. All of the great point guards. Jason Kidd, Jason Williams. They all could pass the ball.
ACCN: Are your eyes set on Sabrina Ionescu’s triple-double record of 26?
Miles: 26 is so crazy. But yeah, I’m always thinking of goals and targets I could reach. 26 is a lot, but I work to do what I can each game. Whether that’s a triple-double, a double-double, just putting up a bunch of stats across the board is super important.
ACCN: How much does chemistry with teammates matter to you?
Miles: As a point guard, I feel like it’s my job to get us going well. I feel like the best way I can get us going well is giving people easy shots where they like to get the ball. I feel like that’s just my responsibility. Everything else will flow. Once I get my teammates into it, we start playing really well, and it’s a lot easier from there.
ACCN: Where did the UConn game rank in your games played at Notre Dame?
Miles: That game was definitely up there with the NC State game last year. It was crazy. Arike [Ogunbowale] was in the building. It was crazy to beat UConn, of course, but also to do it on our home court in front of a sold-out crowd. Also, to play well during that game, it was so amazing to see the support after. The buzz around the game, it was so fun.
ACCN: What do you see from No. 6 Virginia Tech, Notre Dame’s next opponent?
Miles: Their scoring defense impresses me. They’re holding teams to 48 points, which is super impressive. Finding my ways to score [is going to be tough]. They’re just a very good team all around. They don’t have any weaknesses at any position. They picked up a great transfer in Taylor Soule. They’re playing really well together and they’re gelling, so it’s going to be a really fun, tough matchup.
ACCN: How important is your aggression to the Notre Dame offense?
Miles: The way I start, the way I come out kind of dictates the rest of my team. I take that responsibility. That comes with a lot, but I’m responsible for leading and getting my girls shots and getting them into it. Me being aggressive only helps everyone else out. Whether that’s attacking like I did against UConn or playing the way I did versus Merrimack, just getting people open. It all started by me pushing pace. It’s something I worked on in the offseason.
ACCN: What does it mean having to mature and be a leader as a sophomore?
Miles: I’m used to it. Ever since I was a kid playing on AAU teams, I was playing three or four years up. So I always had to mature a bit quicker. Definitely my younger experiences helped me do that and adjust. Enrolling early and having to mature extremely quickly helped me too. I don’t really think about my age. I just go out there and play and do what I can night in and night out to help my team.
ACCN: How fun is it to play in the ACC right now?
Miles: It’s super exciting. The ACC is loaded with teams. I was just looking at the AP poll the other day, and it’s 5, 6, 7, 8 we hold places in. That’s just insane. The amount of talented girls, it makes it fun. It makes it competitive. The race during the ACC regular season is going to be super fun and the tournament is going to be fun. It’s just very entertaining. It brings all of our A games each night. I can’t wait to start conference play especially with this game on Sunday. It’s a huge, huge game. Everything means a lot more. We haven’t seen this in a long time, so we have to take advantage of it and play our best.
ACCN: What has it been like to play for Niele Ivey at Notre Dame?
Miles: Playing for Niele is an amazing experience. She’s been in my shoes. She’s done what I’ve done. She’s been at the highest level. She’s won a national championship as both a player and a coach. She’s really seen it all. Being able to learn from her has been incredible, and I’ve learned so much in my two and a half years here. She’s a role model, she’s been in our shoes and has done it before so it’s amazing playing for her and learning from her.
ACCN: Why is mental health important to you?
Miles: Athletes, it’s been a trend for years now, they feel the need to not speak up. I feel like social media gives everyone a platform to speak. I struggle with a few things. I feel like if i can help one person, they can help another person. Making the smallest difference is super important to me especially because athletes are told to keep a straight face, don’t show emotion, don’t speak, shut up and dribble like they’ve told LeBron [James] before. I think it’s super important to people like me and other athletes to have a lot of influence to help those around us who aren’t comfortable to speak up. It’s super important, especially as a person of color, dealing with that. It comes with a lot of challenges.
ACCN: Do you get recognized on the Notre Dame campus as a celebrity?
Miles: It’s a little bit of both. I wouldn’t say it’s autographs and high fives, but I do see people stare and notice people talking or saying a few things. In my classes, there will be the occasional one or two people who know me. But I try to blend in. I just like going about my business during the day, getting my classes done. It’s kid of crazy to know I’m one of those athletes. I don’t think about it that often. I have to remind myself that people know who I am and I have to uphold a certain image. I have a responsibility of representing the university, for sure.
ACCN: We saw the Notre Dame leprechaun wearing specs to mimic your goggles. Is that becoming a trend in South Bend?
Miles: I haven’t seen any students have them on. That was actually the first time I saw them. I quote tweeted it, “This is everything” because I had not seen that before. That was an amazing video, and it made me laugh for sure.
ACCN: We need a picture on a t-shirt with the puff ponytail and the specs. You could make some money off that with NIL.
Miles: It’s in the works, don’t worry.
ACCN: What do you like to do in your spare time?
Miles: Sleep and eat. I love to go on walks. I love to be outside, being with my family, video games here and there. I’m a shoe collector.
ACCN: What kind of shoes do you have?
Miles: I’ve got some [Air Jordan] 1s, some Obsidians, Blue Chills, Air Maxes — off-white Air Maxes, the desert ones — Yeezys, Waffles, some Sacais. They’re all super nice.
ACCN: She’s got some heat in there.
