Because the WNBA tipped off its 2025 season, the highlight could have been mounted on flashy debuts and new market stars, however in Minnesota, enterprise stays private—and Napheesa Collier is ensuring of it.
Coming off a Finals loss to the New York Liberty, a Defensive Participant of the 12 months award, and a gold medal with Workforce USA, Collier enters 2025 with one precedence: ending what the Lynx began.
“Particular person accolades aren’t my purpose; the group stuff is my purpose,” Collier mentioned. “If the group’s not doing effectively, you’re not going to get these particular person accolades anyway. Should you’re so egocentric, you’re not going to get it. You’re taking part in to your group and serving to your group win.”
Her mindset is emblematic of a franchise rooted in legacy, accountability, and sustained excellence—and Collier, the centerpiece of the Lynx, is embracing each side of that id.
Napheesa Collier Makes Dominant Begin to 2025
Collier’s season opener spoke volumes. She scored 34 factors—tying the franchise report for many in a season debut—whereas including six rebounds and 4 assists in a 99–84 street win over the Dallas Wings. She delivered 18 of these factors within the third quarter alone, turning a one-point contest right into a rout with the sort of managed, two-way dominance few gamers within the league can match.
“She was aggressive,” head coach Cheryl Reeve mentioned. “We had talked earlier than the sport about recognizing the locations the place Payment wants the ball—and we had been persistent in getting her there.”
Collier’s third-quarter outburst sparked a 13–1 run that broke the sport open, as she and teammate Courtney Williams mixed for 33 of the group’s 35 factors within the body. It was the sort of medical takeover that outlined Collier’s 2024 marketing campaign and can doubtless gasoline her MVP candidacy this season.
“I’m actually centered on greater than MVP,” Collier reiterated postgame. “I need us to win a championship this 12 months, in order that’s what I’m centered on. The awards come after that.”
Collier enters the 2025 season because the consensus favourite for the WNBA MVP award, topping the league’s annual GM survey over A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark. In response to the annual WNBA normal supervisor survey, over 50% of GMs voted for Collier as their predicted MVP, citing her two-way excellence and rising management.
Minnesota Lynx Core Stability and Season Outlook
The Lynx completed with a 30–10 report in 2024, led the league in defensive ranking, and fell simply brief within the WNBA Finals. For Reeve, who has coached Minnesota to 4 championships, the message coming into coaching camp was clear: that heartbreak should gasoline what comes subsequent.
“The enjoyment of successful a championship is as a result of it’s so laborious to get there,” Reeve mentioned. “That’s additionally why the heartache is so nice, and the depths of which are so low, is due to the funding and the way laborious it’s to get there.”
Reeve has at all times coached with excessive requirements, however with a mature core constructed round Collier, Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams, Bridget Carleton, and Alanna Smith, the 2025 marketing campaign is much less about constructing and extra about executing.
The group’s elite protection, dwelling dominance (17–3 at Goal Middle in 2024), and continuity are key the explanation why 60% of WNBA normal managers picked the Lynx to win this 12 months’s championship.
Minnesota’s roster continuity could show to be its biggest benefit. All 5 starters from the Finals return, and the group’s solely notable offseason roster transfer was waiving Grace Berger earlier than opening night time. Key items like Williams and Smith present toughness, whereas McBride stays one of many league’s high catch-and-shoot threats. Jessica Shepard’s inside presence and Diamond Miller’s versatile skill-set spherical out some of the balanced rosters within the WNBA.
Collier and the Lynx Eye 2025 WNBA Championship
Minnesota ranked top-three in web ranking (+8.0), scoring differential (+6.4), and efficient discipline purpose proportion (51.8%) final season, and people developments seem poised to proceed.
As Courtney Williams mentioned after the season opener: “It’s her 12 months, man. It’s her 12 months to go get it.”
However should you ask Collier, “her 12 months” solely means one factor: a title.
From her tone at media day to her actions on opening night time, Collier’s strategy hasn’t modified. She’s centered, grounded, and relentless—a frontrunner whose presence indicators Minnesota is not only again, however probably higher.
If 2024 was a prelude, 2025 is the pursuit. And for Napheesa Collier, the one consequence value celebrating is the one which is available in October—with a championship trophy in hand.
A Frequently Rising Model
Simply forward of the season opener, Collier introduced a serious new endorsement cope with Jordan Model—a transfer that additional cements her as some of the influential gamers in ladies’s basketball.
“I’m tremendous excited. Youth has at all times been a ardour of mine—I’ve at all times liked working with youngsters, even earlier than I had one. So with the ability to do that’s wonderful,” Collier mentioned. “After which with Jordan Model, I simply suppose we align so effectively. All the things they’re about is greatness, and that’s what I aspire to be—after I’m taking part in, and with the issues I’m doing off the court docket. So I used to be actually, actually excited to have the ability to signal with them.”
She celebrated the announcement with a “Jordan gang” put up on social media, signaling her place within the lineage of elite athletes tied to the model.
With Olympic gold, a Finals look, and now Jordan Model backing her, Collier’s profile has by no means been increased.
