MINNEAPOLIS — The entire sequence was so smooth, so calculated, so precise that Olivia Miles looked like a pilot landing a plane in crosswinds.

She dribbled the ball through her legs, then behind her back, then swiped it quickly on a crossover. Her defender — the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA draft — drifted backward out of position, as if tasked with tracking the path of a butterfly.

Miles completed the highlight by stepping back for a three-pointer at the top of the key.

Nothing but net.

It was only one play in one game, but that singular moment crystallized the first month of the WNBA season as it relates to the first two players selected in April’s draft.

One might turn into a star at some point. The other already is.

But, hey, why stop there? Miles looks like a future MVP candidate. And not in the distant future either. Perhaps, even, this season.

“She’s special,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said.

Reeve, who doubles as president of basketball operations, should send Dallas Wings management a pricey bottle of wine as a gesture of appreciation for selecting Azzi Fudd with the No. 1 overall pick and not Miles.

Not that Fudd can’t or won’t develop into an elite pro. She deserves more than a dozen games before fans render a verdict on how her career will unfold.

What isn’t open to debate, however, is whether Fudd or Miles has been more impactful after one quarter of their rookie seasons.

The Lynx’s bespectacled point guard out of TCU, whom they selected No. 2 overall, has demonstrably been one of the best players in the WNBA so far. Not just rookies. All players.

The show continued Tuesday night at Target Center in Round 2 of a head-to-head matchup between Miles and Fudd. Fittingly, the two rookies guarded each other, putting an unavoidable spotlight on their connection. The outcome was as one-sided as the final score.

The Lynx won, 100-76, behind another do-everything performance from Miles, who scored a game-high 24 points while adding seven rebounds and six assists to earn a standing ovation as she left the floor late in the fourth quarter.

Fudd was basically a nonfactor. She didn’t score in the first half and finished with only six points on 2-for-12 shooting.

Miles complimented Fudd afterward, calling her a “brilliant shooter” who “fully deserved to go No. 1.” The two know each other well, having engaged in many battles on the court dating back to their time as nationally ranked high school recruits.

“Against any team, I love to compete,” Miles said. “We have a point to prove against anyone in this league.”

The point that Miles is making has been emphatic. She leads all rookies in scoring, assists, steals and minutes and is second in rebounding.

Fudd and Miles will forever have their careers inextricably linked by virtue of the order they went in the draft. One of them had to go first. The WNBA’s official X account used a screen grab of both players — only those two — in a promotional post touting Tuesday’s game.

Reeve revealed back on draft night that the Lynx had identified two players who possessed “generational skill.” She didn’t name them, but it didn’t require much deductive reasoning to figure out that Miles and Fudd were those two players. After watching one month of the season, Reeve was ready to amend her initial statement.

“I would now classify [Miles] as a generational talent,” Reeve said.

The pairing of Reeve and Miles looks limitless in its potential. Reeve’s offensive system produces a beautiful blend of spacing, ball movement and unselfishness. Miles has made a seamless transition into the role of conductor. She does not look or play like someone whose pro career has just barely begun.

“The positional impact is what’s key here,” Reeve said.

Point guards carry immense responsibility. They’re charged with organizing the offense, controlling the tempo, getting teammates the ball in advantageous spots, and providing steady leadership in all situations.

Sometimes point guards take years to master all that is asked of them. Beyond her impressive statistics, Miles is noticeably calm and confident in running the show. She plays at her own speed, which is impressive considering opponents are throwing different defensive schemes at her hoping to disrupt her timing.

“This is not like people aren’t ready for her,” Reeve said.

The league is officially on notice. The Lynx have won eight consecutive games and own the WNBA’s best record (10-2) despite not having injured superstar Napheesa Collier available. The instant stability provided by their rookie point guard has ignited the fast start.

“We thought for sure she’d be a really good backup point guard if we needed one,” Reeve joked earlier this week.

Miles has quickly become a fan favorite. Her creativity as a playmaker and passer gives the organization a marketable draw. Miles showed emotion in her postgame news conference when talking about seeing fans wear her jersey and being recognized when she’s in public.

“We’re not even halfway in yet,” she said. “There’s so much we can do as team. I feel like I have more love to give to this city.”

More love. More wins. More dipsy-doo plays that cause defenders to twist like pretzels.

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