Get ready, Seattle, because the first-place Minnesota Lynx are about to get even scarier. Napheesa Collier, a perennial MVP candidate, is officially listed as “probable” for Wednesday’s game against our very own Seattle Storm, marking her much-awaited season debut. This ain’t just another game; it’s the return of “The Queen” to a team already sitting at the top of the league standings.
Collier’s Comeback After a Grinding Recovery
This isn’t a quick hop back on the court for Collier; she’s been through it. Last season, she sustained injuries to both ankles, one during the regular season and another in the playoff series against the Phoenix Mercury. She underwent surgery on both in the offseason, keeping her sidelined until now. But when she was healthy in 2025, she was on another level, playing the best basketball of her career. She averaged a career-best 22.9 points per game, shooting a ridiculous 53.1% from the field and 40.3% from beyond the arc. Add in 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 blocks, and you can see why she earned first-team All-WNBA and first-team All-Defense selections. Even while fighting doctors to get back, she spoke Saturday about embracing the recovery process. Collier put it perfectly: “I can’t control that I was injured, but I can control my mindset now… There’s going to be things in life that happen that you can’t control, but you can control your reaction to things and your outlook on it.” That’s the kind of grit you respect, even from an opponent.
The Lynx Were Already Dominant, Now What?
Here’s the wild part: the Lynx have been killing it without Collier, rolling into Wednesday’s game on a six-game winning streak with a dominant 21-6 overall record. How do you do that without your MVP candidate? A huge shoutout goes to rookie Olivia Miles, who has been an absolute revelation and the most impressive rookie of the 2026 class. Miles is putting up 19.6 points per game on 50.1% shooting, alongside 4.8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1.3 steals. Coach Cheryl Reeve has been hyping up Miles, and it’s easy to see why. But even with their incredible run, bringing Collier back adds a whole new dimension, making an already tough team borderline unstoppable. Our Storm knows this firsthand; they *barely* survived a persistent Seattle roster in a 105-102 victory on Monday against the Lynx.
Wednesday’s 3 p.m. ET matchup is the last game before the All-Star break, and it’s going to be a real test for the Storm. Can they contend with a top-of-the-league team that’s getting their superstar back? You’d better believe our Seattle squad will be battling hard. Catch it on WNBA League Pass, because this one is gonna be a fight.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply