The conversation about best player in the WNBA revolves around two players a majority of the time.
A’ja Wilson. Breanna Stewart.
That’s it. Those are the two names that usually comprise most people’s lists for the creme of the crop in the WNBA.
Honestly, you can’t blame them. Those two have been going back and forth for years at this point. And Wilson, specifically, took things to another level with arguably the greatest individual statistical season we’ve ever seen in WNBA history.
But the WNBA Finals are here. And it’s time to add another name to that list.
Napheesa Collier.
The Lynx superstar and the newly-crowned WNBA Defensive Player of the Year has made waves in the league this season. She’s always been one of the league’s premier talents, but this year Collier took things up another notch. A stellar performance in the finals could raise the bar even more.
Before we get there, though, some of you may still need to get to know her. So here’s everything you need to know about Collier ahead of the Finals matchup.
Read more: Napheesa Collier is kicking in the door for the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Finals
She’s one of the WNBA’s best players
Collier is the best player on the Minnesota Lynx and has emerged as one of the best two or three players in the WNBA.
She’s averaged 20.9 points per game for the Lynx this season along with a career-high 9.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 34 games. Collier was the league’s best defender this year, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award over big names like A’ja Wilson.
She’s been an All-Star in four of the six seasons she’s played in the WNBA so far.
Collier has won a ton of awards
As I said, Collier is the current Defensive Player of the Year in the WNBA. She’s also a four-time All-Star in her six-year career so far.
But Collier has also made two All-WNBA teams so far in her career (2023 first team, 2020 second team) and will almost certainly make another once the league announces the teams for this year.
Collier has also won Rookie of the Year (2019) and made three All-Defensive WNBA teams (2024, 2023, 2020).
She’s an Olympic gold medalist
Collier won two Olympic gold medals with Team USA — one during the 2020 Games in Tokyo and another in the 2024 Games in Paris.
She played in all six games in Paris this summer, averaging 6.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in 26.7 minutes.
Collier is an NCAA champion
Collier played for UConn during her college years so, naturally, she did a lot of winning.
However, the only championship the school won during her tenure there was during her freshman year in 2016.
This was also current Liberty star Breanna Stewart’s senior year at the school.
She’s also a mom
https://www.instagram.com/p/CwTA0eNR8VI
Collier often proudly gushes over her two-year-old daughter, Mila.
Our Meg Hall spoke to Collier about parenthood and having her best season ever after having her daughter. Here’s what she had to say:
“I think what I learned about myself is that this is the hardest job I’ve ever had, but it’s so rewarding,” she said. “It’s the most amazing job in the world. I feel like I have a purpose in my family and my daughter. I feel like a different person than I was before I had her.”
Read the full article here.