Napheesa Collier News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/napheesa-collier/ Minnesota sports, but different Thu, 01 Jan 2026 18:23:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=32,height=32,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-cropped-MSF-favicon-1.jpg Napheesa Collier News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/napheesa-collier/ 32 32 MN Lynx Superstar Needs Surgery + Extended Recovery Timeline https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-lynx/napheesa-collier-ankle-surgery-timeline/ Thu, 01 Jan 2026 17:46:00 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=77317 It has been a few months since Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve completely crashed out during the team’s semifinal loss to Phoenix. Her outburst was totally warranted, though. WNBA officials completely embarrassed themselves with inconsistency throughout the series, and it all boiled over with the brutal no-call that left Napheesa Collier injured and unable to finish the game.

The WNBA season won’t return until mid-May. But bad news hit today for Napheesa Collier, co-founder and reigning MVP of Unrivaled. The 3-on-3 winter league starts its second season January 5, and Collier was expected to play again. Instead, she’ll soon have surgery and miss the whole thing with a 4-6 month recovery.

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier in for extensive rehab

Following the Lynx’s painful playoff exit and the controversial way it ended, Napheesa Collier spoke out. She publicly challenged WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert for better officiating accountability. At the same time, Collier pushed through rehab on her serious ankle injury from that no-call. Now, months later, doctors have decided surgery on both ankles is necessary.

The former Rookie of the Year, Collier was robbed of her first MVP in 2025. Finishing in 2nd place for the second-straight season, Collier averaged a career-best 22.9 points per game.

She also cemented her status as the best in the game in the virtual world last year. In NBA 2K26, Collier earned a 98 overall rating, the highest in the sport and ahead of actual MVP winner A’ja Wilson.

With a 4-6 month timeline, Collier’s return falls somewhere between April and June. That puts the start of the WNBA season in question and rules her out of competing in Unrivaled this winter.

The Minnesota Lynx finished with the WNBA’s best record last season but bowed out in the semifinals to Phoenix. They are still chasing a fifth championship.

After trading out of an opportunity to draft Angel Reese in 2024, the Lynx now have the second-overall pick in 2026. They will have a serious opportunity to draft an impact player alongside Collier right out of the gate.

]]> Thu, 01 Jan 2026 12:23:18 +0000 Minnesota Lynx MN Lynx Star Napheesa Collier Challenges WNBA Accountability in Stunning Statement https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-lynx/napheesa-collier-stunning-statement-targets-wnba-commissioner-cathy-engelbert/ Tue, 30 Sep 2025 19:15:09 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=69090 The Minnesota Lynx were bounced from the WNBA playoffs against the Phoenix Mercury in Game 4 of the league semifinals. Despite being the top seed after finishing with a 34-10 record, a home collapse in Game 2 set the wheels in motion.

It was Game 3 where headlines were made after head coach Cheryl Reeve lost it on the officials. Controversial contact on a final play put superstar Napheesa Collier in a boot after needing to be helped off the floor. Reeve went on to let officiating and the league office have it in her postgame press conference.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert responded by suspending Minnesota’s head coach for the pivotal Game 4 matchup. While Collier was injured and unable to play in that contest, she prepared a statement and had her own thoughts to share with the league office.

Cathy Engelbert
Credit: Andrew Dolph / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Napheesa Collier calls for accountability from WNBA

It is rare that players will offer comments or statements outside of the immediate emotions following a game. While Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier was dealing with the fallout of her injury, she had time to reflect. On Tuesday, at a season-ending press conference, she came correct and direct right at the league office.

“The real threat to our league isn’t money, it isn’t ratings, or even missed calls, or even physical play. It’s the lack of accountability from the league office. Since I’ve been in the league, you’ve heard the constant concerns about officiating. It has now reached levels of inconsistency that plague our sport and undermine the integrity in which it operates. Whether the league cares about the health of the players is one thing, but to also not care about the product we put on the floor is truly self-sabotage. Year-after-year, the only thing that remains consistent, is the lack of accountability from our leaders.

The league has a buzzword that they’ve rolled out as talking points for the CBA as to why they can’t pay the players what we’re worth. That word is sustainability. What’s truly unsustainable is keeping a good product on the floor while allowing officials to lose control of games. Fans see it every night. Coaches, both winning and losing, point it out every night in pregame and postgame media. Yet leadership just issues fines and looks the other way. They ignore the issues that everyone inside the game is begging to be fixed. That is negligence.

At Unrivaled this past February, I sat across from Cathy [Engelbert] and asked how she planned to address the officiating issues in our league. Her response was, ‘only the losers complain about the refs.’ I also asked how she planned to fix the fact that players like Caitlin [Clark], Angel [Reese], and Paige [Bueckers], who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league, are making so little for their first four years. Her response was, ‘Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court, because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.’ In that same conversation she told me, ‘players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.’

That’s the mentality driving our league from the top. We got to battle every day to protect a shield that doesn’t value us. The league believes it succeeds despite its players, not because of them. I have the privilege of watching my husband run a league where he has to balance 100 different things at once. I won’t pretend the job is easy, but even with all of that on his plate, he always takes the time to reach out to players when he sees an injury whether it’s Unrivaled or even during the WNBA season. That is what leadership looks like. It’s the human element. It’s basic integrity. It’s the bare minimum and leader should embody.

This year alone I’ve gotten calls, texts, and so many well-wishes from players across the league. Those moments remind me that sometimes there are things bigger than the results in this game we play. You know who I haven’t heard from? Cathy. Not one call, not one text. Instead, the only outreach has come from her number two telling my agent that she doesn’t believe physical play is contributing to injuries. That is infuriating. It’s the perfect example of a tone-deaf, dismissive approach, that our leaders always seem to take.

I’ve finally grown tired. For too long, I have tried to have these conversations in private. It’s clear there is no intention of accepting there’s a problem. The league has made it clear, it isn’t about innovation, it isn’t about collaboration, it’s about control and power. I’ve earned this platform and I paid the price to get here. Now I have a responsibility to speak on behalf of the fans, and everyone in this league that deserves better.

Our leadership’s answer to being held accountable is to suppress everyone’s voices by handing out fines. I’m not concerned about a fine. I’m concerned about the future of our sport. At some point, everyone deserves to hear the truth from someone, who I hope, has earned the benefit of doubt to fight for what is right and fair for our athletes and our fans. We have the best players in the world. We have the best fans in the world. Right now, we have the worst leadership in the world. If I didn’t know exactly what the job entailed, maybe I wouldn’t feel this way. Unfortunately for them, I do.

We serve a league that thinks championship coaches and Hall of Fame players are dispensable. That’s fine, it’s professional sports. I will not stand quietly by and allow different standards to be applied at the league level. Thank you.”

Napheesa Collier

A superstar platform who’s not alone

That level of transparency is not something you ever see from an individual player, in any league. Collier went out on a limb, was honest, heartfelt, and reasoned. Her absolute takedown of Engelbert and WNBA leadership could not have hit harder. She’s also not alone.

Becky Hammon and Stephanie White both agreed with Minnesota Lynx coach Reeve’s comments following Collier’s injury. Maybe she came too harshly or allowed emotions to spark the words. This has been going on for long enough in the league though, and it’s been problematic all year. Caitlin Clark has consistently been a target of physical play, and multiple superstars are on the sidelines due to injury.

Then again, for Engelbert to actually take accountability of the mess she has created, there would have to be a level of self awareness. The league’s officiating cost the Lynx a title just a season ago, and she was there in a dress supporting an opponent while sitting courtside.

The league’s best player just took aim at the top executive. If that’s not enough to make changes then nothing will be.

]]> Tue, 30 Sep 2025 14:15:19 +0000 Minnesota Lynx Cheryl Reeve Gets Put on Time Out by WNBA https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-lynx/cheryl-reeve-suspended-game-4-phoenix-mercury/ Sat, 27 Sep 2025 21:33:05 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=68975 Two things happened to the Minnesota Lynx on Friday night. They dropped their semifinals Game 3 against the Phoenix Mercury, and Cheryl Reeve went scored earth. She was ejected from the game, and had more to say after.

The news Lynx fans have been waiting for on Saturday is an update to the condition of superstar Napheesa Collier after she had to be helped off the court. The news they got was regarding the status of Reeve for Game 4.

WNBA suspends Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve

After a colossal collapse at home in Game 2, the stakes could not have been higher for the MN Lynx on Friday night. As they closed in on a Game 3 loss, Cheryl Reeve had enough after watching Napheesa Collier go down in a heap. She let the referees have it, and then let them have it more in her postgame press conference.

The WNBA said enough.

After the foul, Reeve was handed her second technical and she didn’t leave in any sort of a hurry. She then called out the league and its leadership postgame. Apparently the WNBA didn’t like that too much. Reeve is now barred from coaching the Minnesota Lynx in an elimination game, on the road, Sunday.

Beyond the suspension, Reeve and assistant coaches Eric Thibault and Rebekkah Brunson were all fined for their actions.

It’s understandable that Reeve would be upset given how the game was officiated as a whole. Her star shot zero free throws, and Minnesota had just 11 as a team. The Mercury took 22 free throws on the night.

WNBA gets support while being called out for MN Lynx

On Saturday the official X (formerly Twitter) account of NBA referees offered support of the crew that Reeve berated. They stated, “the leg to leg contact is incidental once the ball is clearly loose.”

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons called it the opposite way, and he brought receipts.

Even if that no-call against Collier was correct, the refereeing was questionable at best all night. That goes back to a sequence in last year’s WNBA Finals against the New York Liberty in which Minnesota was absolutely screwed over.

The league’s commission, Cathy Engelbert, showed up in a dress supporting the Liberty to sit courtside. On X, the WNBA’s official account also put out a shady tweet following the Liberty’s win.

Reeve has some serious flaws. She dislikes Caitlin Clark way too much, even if she was right about Angel Reese. Certainly though, she’s not afraid to speak her mind, and now that cost her what could be the final game of the season.

]]> Sat, 27 Sep 2025 16:41:57 +0000 Minnesota Lynx MN Lynx Star Joins Rarefied Air With Latest Ranking https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-lynx/napheesa-collier-best-nba-2k-studbudz-slam-magazine/ Fri, 15 Aug 2025 21:32:22 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=66720 The Minnesota Lynx currently own the best record in the WNBA. Cheryl Reeve’s squad has a 27-5 record and the second place Atlanta Dream sit behind them at 21-11.

A season after having a WNBA Championship stolen from them, they are right back in contention to win their fifth in franchise history. Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore took over ownership from Glen Taylor a couple months ago, and a ring would certainly be a way to usher in their tenure.

Napheesa Collier is the star stirring the drink for the Lynx. She has now been recognized as the best in the sport, at least on a virtual level.

NBA 2K puts Napheesa Collier at the top for Minnesota Lynx

First there was Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles. Both of those superstars were recently inducted into the Hall of Fame. Napheesa Collier is on her way there, but is still active and building her legacy. The latest update for the NBA 2K video game ranks her as the best player in the sport.

With a 98 overall rating, Collier is just shy of video game perfection. EA Sports handed that designation to Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson earlier this summer. Collier is just ahead of Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson, and New York Liberty big Breanna Stewart. It is a bit odd to see the ever popular Caitlin Clark so high given the injuries and ineffectiveness this season.

Collier was the 6th overall pick by Minnesota in the 2019 WNBA Draft. The UConn product quickly established herself by winning Rookie of the Year honors. She has since earned MVP votes in three-of-seven professional seasons and finished runner-up last year.

While Collier took home Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2024, the five-time All-Star is positioned to win her first MVP award this season. In 26 games she is averaging a career-best 23.5 points per game while shooting a ridiculous 53.7% from the field. She remains every bit the same lockdown defender, and has the Lynx thinking title run once again.

With Minnesota having recently added guard DiJonai Carrington in a trade, the roster was supplemented in a big way. Collier remains sidelined with an ankle sprain, but she is expected back for the stretch run and playoffs.

Minnesota Lynx taking all the spotlight

Quite possibly the only good thing about the Minnesota Twins(z) right now, is the StudBudz. While the Pohlad family attempts to tear down the franchise they won’t be selling next to Target Center, Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman are tearing up the basketball court.

Williams and Hiedeman have grown in popularity through their StudBudz Twitch channel. The pairing got a full-blown feature in Slam Magazine after taking the W by storm, and they have continued to make the most of the relationship on the court too. For the first time in history, players from the same WNBA team have graced a Slam Magazine cover in the same year.

Minnesota has relied upon Williams’ scoring as her 13.8 points per game trail only Collier and Kayla McBride. Hiedeman comes off the bench as a rotational player and has averaged 7.8 points per game while averaging 17.8 minutes.

Related: Minnesota Lynx Roster Changes Amidst Title Run

Having a legitimate superstar along with a viral tandem of talent behind her has been a solid recipe for success in Minnesota. Collier, Williams, and Hiedeman will look to finish the job that the league all but took from them last season.

This time around, they’re having a ton of fun doing it as well.

]]> Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:01:30 +0000 Minnesota Lynx Minnesota Lynx Roster Changes Amidst Title Run https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-lynx/napheesa-collier-ankle-injury-dijonai-carrington-injury/ Mon, 04 Aug 2025 23:53:13 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=66028 If you haven’t noticed the Minnesota Lynx are the best team in the WNBA and they are looking to win the title that was stolen from them last season.

Cheryl Reeve has her team sitting at 24-5 this season, and they just recently beat the New York Liberty. After a contentious WNBA Finals experience, there has been a desire to rectify the outcome this season.

Napheesa Collier is among the best talents in the league, and now Minnesota will need to operate without her for a period of time.

Napheesa Collier sidelined for Minnesota Lynx

Last season Napheesa Collier earned Defensive Player of the Year honors for the first time in her career. That pairs with her Rookie of the Year award from 2019 to grow her individual trophy case. She was having another strong season this year, but an ankle injury is going to interrupt that.

This season Collier has averaged a career-best 23.5 points per game on a ridiculous 53.7% shooting rate. Her 36.8% from deep trails only the 40.8% three point percentage she put up in 2020.

Now in her seventh year as a professional, Collier has played each of her seasons in the WNBA for the Lynx. She is the leader of this team, and an imperative part if they want to again win a WNBA championship.

Related: Minnesota Lynx Legends Get Hall of Fame Call

It’s a positive her injury can be measured in a matter of weeks rather than months. Reeve and the Lynx have considerable breathing room. They’ll need to stay afloat in her absence though.

MN Lynx swing a big trade for DiJonai Carrington

Beyond just losing Collier, the Minnesota Lynx swung a trade for some new talent. They parted with both Diamond Miller and Karlie Samuelson to add DiJonai Carrington.

Carrington was a second-round pick in 2021 out of Baylor. She originally appeared for the Connecticut Sun before playing with the Dallas Wings this season.

Last year Carrington won Most Improved Player honors and she has averaged 10.4 points per game this year. The combo guard has the ability to play both backcourt and frontcourt roles at 5’11”. How Cheryl Reeve uses her remains to be seen, but there will be expanded opportunity with Collier out.

Minnesota has just 14 games left before the playoffs. The hope is that they can enter them healthy, with Collier in tow, and make some real noise.

]]> Mon, 04 Aug 2025 18:53:16 +0000 Minnesota Lynx Minnesota Lynx Star Napheesa Collier Shows How 1-on-1 Can Fix the NBA All-Star Game https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-lynx/minnesota-lynx-news/lynx-star-napheesa-collier-shows-how-1-on-1-can-fix-nba-all-star-game/ Mon, 17 Feb 2025 03:36:40 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=60367 I tried to watch the NBA All-Star Game, Sunday. I really did. But after the first semifinal game to 40 points, I switched over to highlights of the 1-on-1 Unrivaled Tournament (available on Max). I was pleased to see Minnesota Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier win the tournament, and doing so with defensive effort was delightful.

The $200,000 Collier won by beating Washington Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards in 1-on-1 was the single biggest prize money in women’s basketball history. Each of Collier’s Lunar Owls got $10,000, too. The money wasn’t what made the tournament fun to watch, though. It was pride that made it quality entertainment.

Related: Has Minnesota Lynx Star Napheesa Collier Solved the WNBA’s Overseas Issues?

MN Lynx superstar and Unrivaled co-founder solves NBA’s issues… again

NBA fans have longed for defensive effort to return to the NBA All-Star Game for decades. Hell, they’ve been waiting decades for it to be entertaining. Minnesota Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier might have solved both problems with her 1-on-1 Unrivaled Tournament. You could tell the players were giving it their all. They were dripping sweat and gassed, and for good reason. The pace was grueling.

The format was very smart. They played make it, take it to a specified point total: 12 through the semis and 8 in the best-of-three finals. There was a seven-second shot clock, and players had the option to clear defensive rebounds to an outlet passer on each wing. That gave them time to catch their breath before getting open to receive the ball back for another seven-second run.

Each player had a timeout per game. Shooting fouls were awarded one free throw worth two points. Players drawing non-shooting fouls were awarded possession. Napheesa Collier was even smart about the situations in which she fouled, usually on the ground and usually to get a breather. It was a brilliant approach and an unrivaled effort.

Related: Minnesota Lynx Forward Rewarded for Incredible Month Overseas

Imagining an NBA All-Star 1-on-1 tournament

Imagine Anthony Edwards and Kevin Durant playing 1-on-1 for money. The admirer versus the admired. The student versus the master. You could even throw some money at the winner’s teammates, because I do think the NBA’s new format of a four-team, single-elimination tournament works better than any other format they’ve tried to breathe life into a dead event.

If someone gets hurt playing 1-on-1 basketball at the NBA All-Star Game, it would be a bummer, sure. But it’s highly unlikely. It’d be one of those non-contact injuries that could happen in practice anyway. The NBA All-Star Game just needs the level of effort to approach that of NBA practices instead of pregame shoot-around.

Related: WNBA Insider Says Minnesota Lynx a Logical Fit for Former Finals MVP

Collier and her Unrivaled 1-on-1 competitors were obviously pushed, but not beyond the point of in-game competition. They controlled their effort, which was somewhere between practice and game play. Physical post play was on display. There were blocks and very few threes. The skills shown went far beyond shooting, from which the NBA would also benefit. That silly skills challenge is ridiculous and could go away.

The first day of NBA All-Star Weekend could still include the celebrity game and rising stars game. The three-point shooting contest could follow that, which should always include a WNBA shooter versus an NBA shooter, according to 5.4 million viewers. Then the first night culminates in the NBA Dunk Contest followed by the first round of 1-on-1 games.

Day two should be 1-on-1 semifinals and finals followed by the four-team tournament, or vice versa. Hell, the 1-on-1 tournament is more entertaining anyway. LeBron versus Steph. Luka versus AD. Can you imagine?

]]> Sun, 16 Feb 2025 21:38:33 +0000 Minnesota Lynx News Minnesota Lynx Has Minnesota Lynx Star Napheesa Collier Solved the WNBA’s Overseas Issues? https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-lynx/has-star-napheesa-collier-solved-the-wnba-overseas-issues/ Wed, 22 Jan 2025 22:11:37 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=59520 While the WNBA and WNBPA negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier and New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart are banking on their new 3-on-3 Unrivaled league solving the WNBA’s overseas issues.

The current CBA requires all players to “prioritize” the WNBA over their overseas commitments that pay more. Players can no longer arrive to training camp late without incurring fines. If they arrive after May 1 or the start of the season, whichever is later, they can be suspended without pay for the entire season.

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier’s solution

Napheesa Collier, the Minnesota Lynx team MVP, and her husband, Alex Bazzell, are trying to solve the problem facing players who need to play overseas to make the bulk of their annual income. No more leaving the country to make more in salary than WNBA players make playing in the WNBA. No more international travel. No more Russian prisons – well, at least for 36 players.

Related: Minnesota Lynx Passed on Angel Reese Because Cheryl Reeve Did Not Want to Coach Her

Unrivaled, Minnesota Lynx
Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

There are 156 WNBA players with the addition of the Golden State Valkyries this season. Unrivaled serves the top 23 percent of the WNBA, so three-fourths of players still have to travel overseas to make a reasonable annual salary, including some from the Minnesota Lynx.

The Unrivaled league benefits the veterans and players already making a higher WNBA salary than the $220,000 average salary in the Unrivaled league. Players also get an equity share of 0.5 percent, though, and non-players can invest, too. Collier can’t get equity in the Minnesota Lynx while playing in the WNBA, and neither can any other player.

Unrivaled announces $28 million investment round

Unrivaled raised $28 million at the end of 2024, with investors including Michael Phelps, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Dawn Staley. The league announced that it raised more than expected and has $35 million in funding.

USC sophomore JuJu Watkins can’t go pro until 2027, but she’s already an Unrivaled investor. That likely means she’ll play in the league at some point, as will Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson. Clark sat out the inaugural season to rest her body after playing basketball for nearly 12 straight months.

Taking Unrivaled on the road

The plan for Unrivaled is to make its home in Miami but to start traveling to non-WNBA cities and college towns in season two. That business plan is similar to a professional wrestling promotion, or another women’s sports league, the Professional Women’s Hockey League. The PWHL has been filling NHL arenas in non-PWHL cities for two seasons now.

Related: Gophers Hockey, Wrestling Headlines Twin Cities Sports Schedule in February

Speaking of wrestling, Unrivaled’s debut on TNT reached about as many viewers as TNT’s Saturday wrestling show, AEW Collision. The games averaged 313,000 viewers and peaked at 364,000 viewers. That’s a bit less than Ice Cube’s Big3 league debut on FS1. TNT has considerably more viewership, however. It’s the seventh most-watched channel on television.

Taking the show on the road will add to a revenue stream that’s limited by the league’s current venue. The capacity at Unrivaled’s home court is less than 800, with tickets starting at $371. That’s $320,000 in revenue per day – not per game. Packing a college arena with 15,000 fans at $100 per ticket more than quadruples that daily revenue.

Much like a wrestling promotion, the stars involved in the league will dictate viewership, gate revenue, and sustainability. If either Caitlin Clark, who was offered $1 million plus considerable equity, or A’Ja Wilson play in the league’s second season, Unrivaled will demand an extension to its two-year television deal and undoubtedly increase investments in the league.

]]> Wed, 22 Jan 2025 16:13:10 +0000 Minnesota Lynx