After Postponing WNBA Move, Olivia Miles Issues 4-Word Plea to Chicago About Ex-Notre Dame Teammate

Olivia Miles has never been one to court drama—unless you count her uncanny ability to whip clean assists through tiny windows—so when she decided to keep out of the WNBA this spring, you knew she’d have her reasons. Yet even as she entered the transfer portal and set her GPS for TCU, she kept one eye on her former Notre Dame roommate, Maddy Westbeld, who was busy preparing to land in the professional ranks. What she said was the kind of plea you’d expect only from someone who’s seen you down on the court and on crutches.

Westbeld missed the first half of the 2024–25 season because of a lingering foot issue, returning in January like a coiled spring and helping the Fighting Irish reach the Sweet Sixteen for the fourth straight year. “Resilience comes to mind,” Westbeld said, as shared by Notre Dame beat reporter Karli Bell. “I feel like I had five different seasons in this past season alone. … I left ND in a better place than I found it, and I take pride in that”.

By draft night, Westbeld’s numbers did not need any other convincing element: 12.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game over five seasons, a 46.5 percent shooting clip, and a knack for defensive plays that made opponents think twice before hugging the lane. So when Chicago Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca watched the board slide to 16 and saw his name light up, he didn’t hesitate. “Getting the chance to land a player as skilled as Maddy Westbeld in the second round is truly exciting,” he said, and we can almost imagine him imagining how Westbeld’s midrange touch and defensive instincts would fit into Chicago’s frontcourt puzzle.

Then came Olivia Miles’ reaction, which made us forget all about what’s pick & pop.. But well, this isn’t the first time the duo has melted hearts, so we should have known better. This was also the first time Olivia reacted to Maddy’s draft. She shared an Instagram story with a picture of Maddy looking at the city sprawling in front of her from a glass window. As we said, never one to say more than what is needed, Miles captioned it simply, calling her “A Pro“.

Then came the absolute bomb of loveliness. It seemed like even their cat ‘Bean’ was agreeing with what Miles said. “Chicago pls take care of her,” Miles shared in another story with several cutesy emojis. And Bean’s expression? It was like he was giving a stern eye contact to the Sky GM, trying to reach his soul. And it was stern enough that had Pagliocca seen Miles’ plea come before Maddy’s contract was finalized, he might’ve offered an even bigger one.

And it also reminded us of August, just two days before Westbeld underwent surgery, when she and Miles scrolled breeder websites on a whim. “Me and Liv were roommates at the time, so we were always watching it,” Westbeld later laughed in a feature. “We were like, ‘Let’s look at the breeder,’ and we just kind of full sent it. It was like two days before I had surgery….I was on the couch for six weeks, and I had a little kitten beside me. It was just like we became best friends.”

‘Bean’, the kitten, has been a regular on Miles and Westbeld’s social media feed and has definitely played a crucial role in tightening the bond between the two stars. He even has an Instagram account with ‘Son of Olivia Miles and Maddy Westbeld’ as its intro. “What Bean means to me is just indescribable,” Miles once 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”. 

So, of course. You might think basketball friendships are forged over just buzzer-beaters and locker-room high-fives, but for these two, they probably came closer because of late-night kitten GIF exchanges and runs to the nearest grocery store for cat food. Their four seasons together produced the kind of consistency most programs dream of—back-to-back four Sweet 16s—and cemented them as one of the most dynamic duos in college hoops. Have you seen Miles’ passes to Maddy? They were always just tremendous.

But now in 2025, the story will be different…

Olivia Miles and Maddy Westbeld are taking different paths to success

Maddy Westbeld, after five seasons with Notre Dame, declared for the 2025 WNBA draft. Unlike other athletes, her rookie season was her best performing year with the team, as a series of injuries hampered her development. Trusting the star forward, the Sky franchise added her as a backup for their Reese-Cardoso duo.

“She can stretch the floor, put pressure on opponents defensively and made an impact on a great Notre Dame team with many talented players,” Jeff Pagliocca further said about her. Yet, as a second-round pick, Westbeld faces an uphill battle to secure consistent playing time. Her injury history adds another layer of uncertainty, making Miles’ plea all the more reasonable.

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