When will Napheesa Collier play again? How Lynx star’s ankle injuries affect Unrivaled originally appeared on Sports news. Add The Sporting News as Favorite source by clicking here.
Just days before the start of Unrivaled’s second season, the league was rocked by the news that one of its star players would miss the action.
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Napheesa Collier, the Minnesota Lynx striker and one of the co-founders of the 3v3 league, undergo surgery on both ankles a big blow for the Lunar Owls BC, finalists of 2025.
Collier’s place will be occupied by Valkyries of the Golden State Temi Fagbenle, and she won’t get the chance to defend the MVP award she won in the league’s inaugural season last year.
How long will Napheesa Collier miss?
Collier will miss the entire season of Unrivaled, which runs from From January 5 to March 4. That includes the mid-season 1v1 tournament that Collier won last year.
“I am heartbroken to announce that I will miss this season of Unrivaled,” Collier wrote on Instagram. “I have fought hard over the past few months to get my Owls back and was devastated to learn from my team of doctors that surgery was the best path forward.
In total, Collier will miss four to six months of action. That schedule could rule him out until the WNBA All-Star break, leaving the Lynx without their star playmaker and one of the league’s most complete players.
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Collier injured his right ankle during a match against the The Aces of Las Vegas on Aug. 2 and missed several weeks while recovering from a sprain. During the WNBA Semifinals, Collier tore three ligaments in her left ankle as the Lynx were eliminated by the Phoenix Mercury.
Intervening surgically was considered the best option for Collier, a five-time All-Star who was a WNBA MVP finalist the past two seasons and joined the league’s 50/40/90 club in 2025.
Without Collier, the Lunar Owls’ championship dreams were dealt a major blow. Goalkeeper Skylar Diggins will take on a significant leadership role, while Aaliyah Edwards and Marina Mabrey will be expected to shoulder more of the scoring load.
