Napheesa Collier had surgery on her left ankle on March 24 and is not expected to return to on-court activities until early June, the Minnesota Lynx announced on Tuesday, just two days after the opening of WNBA training camps.
“Right now, I’m just working as fast as I can with my doctors and my [physical therapy] staff, just trying to get back on the court,” Collier said last Friday, per ESPN. “But everything is going well, so you’ll see me soon.”
Collier, a five-time WNBA All-Star who finished second in MVP voting to A’ja Wilson in 2024 and 2025, suffered multiple ankle injuries last season. In August, she missed three weeks after spraining her right ankle during a blowout win over the Las Vegas Aces. In the WNBA semifinals, she tore three ligaments in her left ankle and a muscle in her left shin after a controversial collision with the Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas in Game 3. She had to sit out Game 4, which turned out to be a season-ending loss for the Lynx.
In January, Collier announced she would undergo surgery on both ankles and miss the entire second season of Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 league she co-founded with Breanna Stewart. At the time, it was announced she would be sidelined for 4-6 months. According to ESPN, she had surgery on her right ankle in January.
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How will Collier’s absence affect the Lynx?
In 2025, Collier averaged a career-high 22.9 points as well as 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 steals. The Lynx signed veteran frontcourt players Natasha Howard and Nia Coffey during the offseason, but also saw key frontcourt players Alanna Smith and Jessica Shephard leave in free agency. With All-Star guards Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams back, along with rookie point guard Olivia Miles, the No. 2 overall pick in the WNBA draft, the Lynx should be able to remain competitive until Collier returns. But they will need her healthy to get back into title contention.
Earlier this month, Collier signed a one-year supermax with the Lynx worth $1.4 million, meaning she will become an unrestricted free agent in 2027. The UConn alum has been with the Lynx since they drafted her sixth overall in 2019. There was some surprise that she only signed a one-year deal, but Collier said she is concentrating on the present.
“I’m so focused on, right now, with my injury and this year and winning a championship,” she told reporters last Friday when asked about her future with the team. “That is what I’m doing, so getting back with our amazing staff, playing with our amazing players and just focused on this year and winning.”
