There is no way the MVP title will escape A'ja Wilsonin the WNBA. But her main competitor for the trophy is called Napheesa Collierwho could she win the trophy for best defender.
The Minnesota Lynx winger, who won her second Olympic gold medal in Paris, is stronger than ever, with 20.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.4 blocks on average!
A New Era in Minnesota
At almost 28 years old, the former Connecticut player has patiently shaped her game, “modest superstar” what she is.
“She’s just solid. Constant.”, explains Maya Moore. “She knows who she is and how she plays.”
There is no exuberance in the game of Napheesa Collier, who has had to work, physically and technically, to become one of the best defenders of her generation, while improving her shooting.
Enough to become the spearhead of the revival of the Minnesota franchise, which won four titles in seven years, between 2011 and 2017 with Maya Moore and company, before falling into the soft underbelly of the rankings.
“When Maya's jersey was retired, I felt like it was the last moment for this generation and this era, that we could create our own destiny now, hoping to follow in their footsteps towards the title.” explains Napheesa Collier. “We definitely feel like that's a possibility for us this year.”
A collective against the “Superteam”
Because the two-time defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces, had a complicated campaign, finishing the regular season in second place. And while Minnesota (30-10) finished in second place, behind the New York Liberty (32-8), the Lynx were indeed the team in the best shape at the end of the season, having won 14 games in 15 outings, before dropping the final game that had no sporting stakes…
With notable victories against Las Vegas, New York and Connecticut in this impressive period.
“We beat New York, a “Superteam”, and we are not a “Superteam”, we are a collective” explains Cheryl Reeve, the coach, who wants to put an end to this era of star gatherings, the recipe for the WNBA title in recent years. “They believe in themselves and in the collective. There are several ways to succeed.”
With their collective strength, their defense and the impact of their bench, the Minnesota Lynx players had already struck hard by winning the Commissioner's Cup against the New York Liberty.
“What matters is what we can do as a team to win”concludes Napheesa Collier. “When you have a team like that, that doesn't care about individual accolades but just about the team and winning… That's very hard to find in the WNBA and that's a recipe for success.”
