Napheesa Collier banks in tough shot for the Lynx (0:19)Napheesa Collier drives along the baseline and banks in a short bucket late in the fourth quarter for Minnesota. (0:19)
Alexa PhilippouApr 21, 2026, 05:45 PM ETCloseCovers women’s college basketball and the WNBA Previously covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with further experience at the Dallas Morning News, Seattle Times and Cincinnati EnquirerFollow on XMultiple Authors
Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier is expected to return to on-court basketball activities in early June, the team announced Tuesday, after she had surgery on her left ankle March 24.
Collier also had surgery on her right ankle in early January. Her rehabilitation is progressing as expected, the team said.
“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 told reporters Friday, when she sported a boot and crutches. “But everything is going well, so you’ll see me soon.”
Ahead of her first surgery, Collier was ruled out on New Year’s Day for four to six months, including the entirety of the Unrivaled season. She suffered both injuries during the latter half of the WNBA season, missing three weeks of the regular season because of the right ankle injury before tearing three ligaments in her left ankle during the playoffs.
The 6-foot-1 forward and five-time All-Star came in second in MVP voting last season, averaging 22.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks. She also became the second player in WNBA history to shoot better than 50% overall, 40% from the 3-point line and 90% on free throws. Collier recently signed a one-year supermax contract to return to the Lynx for 2026 and will be an unrestricted free agent next year.
Aside from Collier’s absence, the Lynx also have a new look going into the 2026 season with Alanna Smith, Bridget Carleton, Jessica Shepard, Natisha Hiedeman and DiJonai Carrington all on new teams, though they did retain top guards Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams.
Napheesa Collier banks in tough shot for the Lynx (0:19)Napheesa Collier drives along the baseline and banks in a short bucket late in the fourth quarter for Minnesota. (0:19)
Napheesa Collier drives along the baseline and banks in a short bucket late in the fourth quarter for Minnesota. (0:19)
Alexa PhilippouApr 21, 2026, 05:45 PM ETCloseCovers women’s college basketball and the WNBA Previously covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with further experience at the Dallas Morning News, Seattle Times and Cincinnati EnquirerFollow on XMultiple Authors
CloseCovers women’s college basketball and the WNBA Previously covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with further experience at the Dallas Morning News, Seattle Times and Cincinnati EnquirerFollow on X