Michael Vaupel
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Michael Vaupel
Senior Writer at ESPN
- Michael Vaupel is a senior writer covering the WNBA, women’s college basketball and other college sports. Voepel began covering women’s basketball in 1984 and has been with ESPN since 1996.
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The saying “The rich get richer” will soon apply to the Minnesota Lynx.
With the best record in the WNBA, Olivia Miles is in contention for Rookie of the Year honors. And MVP and winningest coach in league history in Cheryl Reeve, the Lynx are now set to welcome perennial MVP contender Napheesa Collier.
After offseason surgery on both ankles, Collier missed the first 10 weeks of the 2026 season, but the Bobcats said Tuesday she is cleared to play in Wednesday’s road game at the Seattle Storm. Collier was named in the starting lineup before the match.
Collier is coming off a historic season by becoming the second player in WNBA history to shoot at least 50% from the field, 40% from 3-point range and 90% from the free throw line. She finished second in MVP voting for the second year in a row.
Collier is the Lynx coordinator, but without her, the team has managed to not only stay afloat, but stay on top. At 21-6, the Lynx are two games ahead of the Golden State Valkyries and Las Vegas A’s in the standings.
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Miles, the No. 2 overall draft pick in April, leads the rookie class in scoring average (19.6) and assists (6.0) and appears to be a clear contender for Rookie of the Year honors. Veteran forward Natasha Howard is having one of her best seasons, earning an All-Star starting spot alongside Miles. Defenders Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride provided familiarity and continuity to the revamped lineup.
All of this allowed Collier to find the time he needed to recover without having to rush back. But her return will create a domino effect.
“There will be side effects,” Reeve told ESPN. “Ultimately, people will be affected in terms of minutes and potentially therefore in terms of production. They’ll still be valuable, (but the stats won’t) look as gaudy as they did when Phi was away.”
Here’s how Collier’s return will impact the Bobcats and the players who led the team in her absence.
Napheesa Collier is expected to make her debut for the 2026 WNBA season shortly after undergoing ankle surgeries in January and March. Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
Which version of Collier is returning?
The challenge for any athlete returning from a long layoff is to prepare and be ready to play. Collier returned to training with the Lynx on July 1 and has been doing one-on-one training before that, but it doesn’t compare to the speed and energy of a live game.
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“They just pull their legs under them,” Williams said. “Obviously it’s different to train and then go out and play a real game – the adrenaline, the nervousness.”
In her first game back from a three-week layoff last season due to an ankle injury, Collier scored 32 points on 11-of-16 shooting in 31 minutes. Of course, three weeks on the sidelines is nothing compared to this layoff (she had surgery on her right ankle in January and surgery on her left on March 24). Collier hasn’t played basketball since October, the longest absence of her career due to injury.
Collier and Lynx want to temper expectations. Reeve compared Collier’s mindset to that of a golfer returning from a long layoff: They don’t usually shoot par or hit the shots they used to, but that doesn’t take away from their greatness.
The Bobcats know it will take time for Collier to regain his MVP-caliber form. They constantly share this message with her and know that she should also show grace to herself, even if she doesn’t want to.
“Phi is held to a different standard,” Reeve said. “She doesn’t want to take the time to come back.” –Andrews
What does Collier’s return mean for the Lynx post players?
Howard and Nia Coffey were two of the best offseason recruits for any team this season. In his 13th season at age 34, Howard is averaging 16.1 points and 8.1 rebounds. Coffey is 31 years old and in her 10th season the numbers are 7.7 and 5.3. They were Minnesota’s mainstays in Collier’s absence, with Jessica Shepard and Alanna Smith leaving for Dallas as free agents.
Anastasia Olairi Kosu and Antonia Delare come off the bench to provide important depth for Minnesota, and Dorka Juhasz, who recently made her season debut after recovering from a foot injury, complements that.
Reeve says she thinks all players will be happy to have Collier back.
“They want more help,” Reeve said. “We have a front line that is somewhat overworked.”
Howard has been a starter for the past nine seasons, but has plenty of experience playing alongside other great post players, including most recently Aliyah Boston for the Indiana Fever last year. Coffey has played several different roles throughout her career; her career average is 26.5 minutes this season. Both are veterans who know how to adapt to whatever is asked of them. They want to win a championship this year, and Collier is huge for Minnesota to have a chance to do that. — Howl
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Olivia Miles scored a career-high 33 points in the Lynx’s win over the Mercury.
How can Miles and Collier go to court?
This is the pairing everyone has been waiting for since Miles was drafted: a forward who has been at MVP level for several years and a point guard who has been ready from day one in the WNBA. These are the types of combinations that win titles and make games fun to watch. Miles meshes well with the rest of the Bobcats and will do the same with Collier, who can catch almost any pass around her and then convert.
It will also give Miles the opportunity to learn from Collier in real time on the court. Miles is constantly learning and improving his game. Plus, as comfortable as Miles is with the weight that was on her shoulders when she was just starting her professional career, it will be good for her to have another star player to help carry that load as well. — Howl