'I'm proud to be a Minnesotan': Lynx fans' steadfast support grows with playoffs days away
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For Sasha Bangzz of St. Paul, showing up and cheering on the Minnesota Lynx seasonlong is about more than supporting next-level talent. For Bangzz, it’s about seeing stars represent Minnesota in a way that’s more inclusive and true.
“For a long time, when I was younger, there was a lot of tropes, stereotypes pressed on me about what represents Minnesota. Even though for my Minnesota, it has always been filled with just diversity in experience, race, abilities,” Bangzz said during the second quarter of the Lynx’s blowout win against the Indiana Fever at Target Center Thursday.
As Bangzz — who is also a DJ — eagerly bounces her head to either end of the court, she names the authentic examples she most values: players wearing their hair naturally, including Olivia Miles who has become known by her signature silhouette of an afro and goggles, and coaches voicing support of social rights both in what they say, what they wear and what they do.
“I think that's also why I'm just obsessed as a Lynx fan because I do feel like it better represents us,” Bangzz said. “I'm proud to be a Minnesotan, and I'm proud to be a Lynx fan.”
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Coach Cheryl Reeve’s commitment to social issues is something nearly as synonymous with her name as her astute coaching. Now, as the team heads into the playoffs after closing a momentous regular season, fans show up for the talent, of course, but also for the heart.
Year after year, Bangzz knows they’re not betraying themselves and their values to simply support their hometown team.
“[Seeing] how vocal they've been and how vocal Cheryl has been, when a lot of people just can opt out, especially when they have status and money. A lot of people do opt out, and so it just shows me it can, it's possible,” Bangzz said.
For Thursday’s game in particular, posters, shirts and pins were on full display in support of the trans community. This has been a trend at Indiana Fever games after Sophie Cunningham of the Fever spoke out against trans people earlier this season.
“Being a Minnesotan, we really do not play about protecting our neighbors, and unfortunately, we are living in a time where everything is political, including sports,” Bangzz said. “We wish that it could just be about basketball, but when people's rights are up for discussion – people's safety is up for discussion – it can't just be about basketball. And I think we have to make it very vocal that our trans brothers, siblings, sisters are safe here.”
Minneapolis women’s sports bar A Bar of Their Own was a part of printing posters to share at this game in support of the trans community that listed names of leaders in the WNBA that have committed to these conversations – including Napheesa Collier and Reeve.
“The transgender community is one that deserves our support, and what is happening in the name of some issue of transgenders in sport, it's really an attack on all transgender community. They don't want transgender people to exist,” Reeve said. “I think the amount of communication of people that were affected by something as simple as wearing a T-shirt in support of them and helping them be seen with the platform that we have in professional sports, it was a small gesture for me.”
Maya Caldwell awarded
One of the newest faces to the Lynx was named this year's recipient for the Sylvia Fowles Altruism Award. Maya Caldwell was voted by her teammates for the honor.
The Lynx named the Sylvia Fowles Altruism Award after former player Fowles to recognize a player who embodies kindness, selflessness and care for the well-being of others in the community.
Caldwell admitted she didn’t know about the award prior to seeing the message about voting. She said she appreciates being embraced by the team.
“They allow me to be the goofball that I am with levels of seriousness to it, of course, this is a business; it's my job,” Caldwell said. “They welcome me with open arms, and they feed into my personality. They allow me just to be myself, and I really appreciate that.”
The Lynx acquired the guard in May from the Portland Fire in exchange for Minnesota’s own 2028 third-round draft pick. Ever since, she has become a nice defensive asset with an average of 2.3 rebounds per game.
“Maya brings a level of of joy that's natural to her. She's funny, she's giving,” Reeve said. “She has a tremendously selfless mindset. I think the embracing of her new community, how much she loves being here, I think all those things went into them feeling that she exemplified a lot of the things, the Syl traits.”
Lynx flex their top-seed muscle without Miles, push Clark and the Fever to 6th for the WNBA playoffs
Kayla McBride scored 22 points on 6-for-10 shooting from 3-point range as the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx closed the regular season by cruising to an 86-66 victory Thursday night that pushed the Indiana Fever into sixth place entering the WNBA playoffs.
Natasha Howard had 21 points and Courtney Williams added nine points, seven rebounds and 10 assists for the Lynx, who played without star point guard Olivia Miles for a second straight game due to a left calf injury. The Lynx snapped back from a blowout loss to the Fever on the road two days ago.
Kelsey Mitchell had a team-leading 10 points and Caitlin Clark scored a season-low two points on 1-for-12 shooting as the Fever fell behind 25-4 late in the first quarter and never recovered.
Minnesota (33-11), which had already secured the No. 1 seed for the second consecutive year, will face New York in a best-of-three first-round matchup starting Sunday. The Liberty beat the Lynx in five games in the WNBA Finals in 2024.
Indiana (28-16) lost the season series tiebreaker in defeat at home to Washington four days ago, and the Mystics passed the Fever for fifth by beating Chicago earlier Thursday. Indiana had to wait until the last possible hour of the regular season to find out its first-round opponent will be defending champion Las Vegas (31-13) after Golden State (32-12) rallied to beat Los Angeles to secure the No. 2 seed.
After beating the Lynx 96-77 in Indianapolis, the Fever squandered that momentum with a lifeless performance including a season low in points and field goal percentage.
The Fever lost backup guard Ty Harris to a left ankle injury in the third quarter after she landed awkwardly after a drive to the basket. Harris grabbed her leg and was down on the floor for several minutes before being carried off the court to the locker room.
