NFL
By: Brad Sherrod
After coming within reach of another WNBA Finals appearance last season despite battling injuries throughout the year and into the semifinals, the Lynx enter this season with no excuses and legitimate title aspirations.
Minnesota returns as a veteran-led group with chemistry, depth, and one of the most complete rosters in the WNBA.
While the Lynx do return their veteran core of Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, and Courtney Williams, the roster still underwent significant changes during the offseason.
The Lynx said goodbye to two starters in Bridget Carleton, who the Portland Fire selected in the expansion draft, and Alanna Smith, who signed a major deal with the Dallas Wings.
The departures extended beyond the starting lineup as key bench contributors also found new homes in free agency, including DiJonai Carrington with the Chicago Sky, Natisha Hiedeman with the Seattle Storm, and Jessica Shepard with Dallas.
Still, Minnesota enters the season confident despite the roster turnover. The organization understands that what makes this team dangerous isn’t just depth — it’s the system.
And that system starts with Collier.
However, the start of the season will look different for both Collier and the Lynx. The All-Star forward is not expected to return until early June, according to the timeline provided by the team.
Minnesota opens the season with an eight-game schedule in May, beginning May 9 against the Atlanta Dream. But navigating stretches without Collier is nothing new for head coach Cheryl Reeve and the Lynx, who played 11 games without her last season.
Reeve returns once again with a culture built around toughness, discipline, and execution — qualities that will be essential in a WNBA landscape filled with star-powered rosters and superteams.
The Rookie Sensation
There may have been no one more excited about the Lynx drafting former TCU point guard Olivia Miles than Reeve herself.
The veteran head coach compared Miles to franchise legend Lindsay Whalen and did not hesitate to call the rookie a “generational passer.”
That type of praise from a hard-nosed coach like Reeve is not taken lightly.
Veteran guard McBride echoed those sentiments, praising Miles’ “amazing passing ability and court vision.”
Miles enters a situation where she could immediately carve out a role as a primary distributor and playmaker early in her rookie season.
The Biggest Question
Can the Minnesota Lynx take the next step from contender to champion?
Minnesota believes it has constructed a roster capable of competing for a title now while also developing younger talent for the future.
The leadership is already in place. The coaching structure is established. And with a proven system built around defense, execution, and veteran experience, the championship window for the Lynx feels very real.
And it feels like that window is right now.
