Report: Napheesa Collier, a star with the Lynx, tore ligaments in a collision
Napheesa Collier, a standout forward for the Minnesota Lynx, suffered a Grade 2 tear of three ligaments in her left ankle and a muscle in her shin during the WNBA playoffs, according to an ESPN report Wednesday afternoon.
When the Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas stole the ball from Collier and made a steal in the closing seconds of Game 3 on Friday, Collier hurt her left ankle.
In Game 4 on Sunday in Phoenix, the Mercury defeated the struggling Lynx, who were without Collier and head coach Cheryl Reeve (who was suspended by the league for her behavior and remarks about officiating the play on which Collier was injured), 84-76, to advance to the WNBA Finals against the Las Vegas Aces.
Collier had stated on Tuesday that if the top-seeded Lynx, who had the best regular-season record in the league, had defeated the Mercury, she would not have been able to participate.
Her availability for the upcoming WNBA season may not be affected by the injury, which ESPN reports will take at least six weeks of recovery. But it might have an impact on her participation as a player for the Unrivaled League’s Lunar Owls, who return in January.
In January 2025, Collier and Breanna Stewart, a star of the New York Liberty, co-founded a professional 3×3 basketball league for women.
Collier, who is the WNBA’s face and finished second in the league’s MVP competition for the second consecutive season, also attacked the league office on Tuesday for what she sees as a “lack of accountability.”
“I want to be clear this conversation is not about winning or losing,” Collier said at her season-ending press conference, referring to a prepared statement that was in front of her. “It’s about something considerably more significant. Our league isn’t really threatened by money, ratings, missed calls, or even violent play. The league office’s lack of responsibility is the cause.
During a more than four-minute reading from a prepared statement, Collier declared, “We have the best players in the world. We have the world’s greatest supporters. However, our leadership is currently the worst in the world.
“Since I’ve been in the league, you’ve heard the constant concerns about officiating and it has now reached levels of inconsistency that plague our sport and undermine the integrity of which it operates,” Collier, who turned 29 on September 23, said.
“Whether or not the league is concerned about our players’ health is one thing, but it is genuinely self-destructive to disregard the product we provide on the court. Our leaders’ lack of accountability is the only thing that keeps happening year after year.
Later Tuesday afternoon, a response from commissioner Cathy Engelbert was made public by the league headquarters.
“I have the utmost respect for Napheesa Collier and for all the players in the WNBA,” Engelbert added. “We have all put in countless hours to change this league together. My goal is still to provide a good future for the players and the WNBA, which includes working together to find new ways to improve the sport. The way Napheesa described our discussions and league leadership depresses me, but my dedication to the players and this work will not falter even if our opinions diverge.”
Collier’s career averages in 193 regular-season games (all starts) have been 18.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 blocks. She spent seven seasons with Minnesota and was named an All-Star five times. She was named to the first team of the WNBA in 2023 and 2024, and she was the WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2019.
