Lynx re-sign 5-time All-Star forward Napheesa Collier
[April 17, 2026]
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Lynx re-signed five-time All-Star
forward Napheesa Collier, who's coming off one of the most productive
seasons in WNBA history.
The team announced Thursday night it was bringing back Collier, but
didn't disclose terms of the deal.
ESPN reported, citing sources, that the Lynx signed Collier to a
one-year, $1.4 million supermax contract. The deal came a day after the
WNBA defending champion Las Vegas Aces re-signed four-time MVP A’ja
Wilson. ESPN reported that contract was a three-year, $5 million
supermax deal, the most lucrative in league history. |
Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier moves the ball during the first
half of Game 2 in the first round of the WNBA basketball playoffs
against the Golden State Valkyries, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, in San
Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File) |
|
The 29-year-old Collier averaged a career-high 22.9 points per
game last season while shooting 53.1% from the floor, 40.3% from
3-point range and 90.6% from the foul line, becoming the first
player in WNBA history to post 50/40/90 shooting splits while
averaging 20 or more points per game. She finished second to
Wilson in league MVP voting the last two years.
“Phee has been such an integral part of the Lynx since she was
drafted in 2019," head coach and president of basketball
operations Cheryl Reeve said in a statement released by the
team. “Coming off a historic 50/40/90 season and guiding the
Lynx to the most wins in franchise history, Phee is hungry to
position the Lynx for a championship run in 2026.”
Minnesota went 34–10 in the regular season and was the No. 1
overall seed in the WNBA playoffs. But Collier injured her left
ankle in Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals against Phoenix, ending
her season. The Lynx lost the series to the Mercury in five
games.
Collier, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time All-WNBA
and All-Defensive Team selection, was the sixth overall draft
pick by the Lynx in 2019 out of UConn and won the league's
Rookie of the Year award. She has career averages of 18.4
points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.2 blocks per
game in seven seasons. Collier ranks second in franchise history
in career steals (325) and scoring average (18.4), behind Maya
Moore, and second in blocked shots (239) behind Sylvia Fowles.
Last season, Collier set the franchise record with 54
consecutive made free throws and was selected the WNBA All-Star
Game MVP after setting the scoring mark with 36 points.
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