The Brief
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Napheesa Collier is undergoing surgery on both ankles, which will put her out of action for four to six months.
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The timeline means she won’t star in Season 2 of Unrivaled, and that puts the start of her Lynx season in jeopardy.
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Collier was injured during the WNBA semifinals in a loss to the Phoenix Mercury.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Napheesa Collier undergoes surgery that will not only force her to miss the second season of Unrivaled, but will also place her WNBA season with the Minnesota Lynx in doubt.
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Napheesa Collier underwent ankle surgery
What we know
Collier announced on Instagram Thursday that she will have surgery on both ankles and will be out four to six months. Collier helped create the “Unrivaled” 3-on-3 league to prevent WNBA players from having to go overseas to get paid to stay in shape during the WNBA offseason.
The Lynx typically begin the WNBA season in May, which is five months from now. It would be a big task to get Collier ready for the start of the Lynx season.
“I am heartbroken to announce that I will miss this unparalleled season. I fought hard over the past few months to be back with my Owls and was devastated to learn from my team of doctors that surgery was the best path forward,” Collier said. I will always encourage my teammates every step of the way and continue to work tirelessly with the rest of the players and our staff to advance our sport and raise the bar for women’s basketball. I’ll be back at full strength as soon as possible and ready to continue where I left off.”
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WNBA season in danger?
Why you should care
The WNBA season is about five months away and there is no working agreement in place between the players and commissioner Cathy Englebert.
Once the 2025 season is over, Collier made the most of his end-of-season press conference with the Lynx to call out the WNBA for both player salaries and inconsistent arbitration.
“We have the best players in the world, the best fans in the world, but right now we have the worst leadership in the world,” Collier said.
