Napheesa Collier had 28 points and eight rebounds to lead the Minnesota Lynx to their second victory over the Dallas Wings in five days, an 85-81 decision that spoiled the homecoming for first overall draft pick Paige Bueckers.
As Paige Bueckers sets to make her highly anticipated WNBA regular-season debut, the city of Hopkins has renamed itself in her honor, and a local brewery will be offering “Paige’s 3-Point Pale” ale.
Will a new-look Indiana Fever contend in Caitlin Clark’s second year? Will A’ja Wilson win a record 4th MVP? And the biggest question of all: Can the league as a whole build on last season’s success?
There are no shortages of challengers to the reigning WNBA champion New York Liberty or star power across the league. A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier are some of the veterans who will share the spotlight with Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers as the league, in its 29th season, hopes to continue its rise in popularity.
Napheesa Collier spent the offseason working on her game and raising her profile. After the Minnesota All-Star forward and the Lynx came up short in their bid for title last season, falling to Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty in the WNBA Finals, Collier went to work as one of the marquee players in the Unrivaled and as co-founder of the league.
As Minnesota’s own Paige Bueckers heads to the Lone Star State, the Minnesota Lynx are welcoming four new additions. Cheryl Reeve, head coach and president of basketball operations, joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition Tuesday to talk about the draft, the upcoming season and the boom in women’s sports interest.
The Minnesota Lynx have acquired forward Karlie Samuelson in a trade with the Washington Mystics for their 2026 first-round draft pick. Samuelson has career averages of 5.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game over six WNBA seasons.
It’s a big week for Minnesota’s professional basketball teams. The Lynx will look to add to their roster for draft night, while the Timberwolves face a tough competitor to start the playoffs.
There’s no doubt who’s going first in the WNBA draft with Paige Bueckers the consensus top pick. After that it gets interesting with Olivia Miles' decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal instead of the draft.
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