Napheesa Collier Set to Return to WNBA-Leading Lynx

The Minnesota Lynx have clearly proven they’re the best team in the WNBA thus far this season.

And while they weren’t expected to be a bad team this year, the fact that they’ve been able to accomplish this without their best player, who’s one of the top five players in the entire league, is wildly impressive.

But Minnesota is now very close to being at full strength, which is a scary development for the rest of the WNBA.

Napheesa Collier is listed as probable to make her season debut Wednesday against the Seattle Storm after missing Minnesota’s first 27 games following offseason surgery on both ankles.

This is a huge development, not only for the Lynx, but for every other contender around the league. Minnesota is 21-6 without Collier, owns the best record in the WNBA and is now preparing to get its best player back.

Collier has finished as the WNBA MVP runner-up in each of the past two seasons and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2024. She’s one of the league’s most complete players and should be a relatively easy plug-and-play option for a team that already has an established identity.

Minnesota also has the luxury of easing her back into the rotation and continuing to lean on the stars who have emerged in her absence.

Rookie Olivia Miles has been incredible, averaging nearly 20 points, six assists and five rebounds per game. Kayla McBride has been her sidekick, averaging more than 18 points while shooting nearly 40% from beyond the arc.

And as Collier returns to form a dynamic big three with Miles and McBride, Minnesota has to be viewed as the clear championship favorite.

The Lynx don’t need to rush Collier back or immediately ask her to carry the team. They simply need her healthy and comfortable by the postseason. If she can return and remain healthy, Minnesota has everything necessary to make a championship run.

At this point, the Lynx are unquestionably the team to beat.