Awards season hit the WNBA hard, and while the Minnesota Lynx are absolutely raking in the hardware, their playoff run, or lack thereof, is the real jaw-dropper. Olivia Miles, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, absolutely crushed it, unanimously taking home Rookie of the Year. She wasn’t just good, she blew past Caitlin Clark’s rookie points record, dropping an insane 790 points this season, averaging 19.8 points and six assists per game. Miles led all rookies in both categories and finished eighth in the league in scoring and seventh in assists, helping lead the Lynx to a league-best 33-11 record and the No. 1 seed. So what’s the wild part? That No. 1 seed Lynx squad, loaded with talent and awards, turned around and made history by becoming the first No. 1 seed ever to lose to a No. 8 seed in the first round, getting bounced by the New York Liberty. Talk about a brutal plot twist for a team that looked unstoppable on paper.
Cheryl Reeve’s Trophy Case Is Full, But That Playoff Exit Stings
Cheryl Reeve from the Lynx is having an awards year for the ages, but you just know that first-round exit has to be haunting her. She not only won Coach of the Year, leading the Lynx to the best record in the league despite losing six rotation players from last season and star forward Napheesa Collier being sidelined until late July after double-ankle surgery, but she also nabbed her third career Executive of the Year award, narrowly beating out Atlanta Dream’s Dan Padover. The Lynx squad was straight-up dominant in the regular season, finishing with a 34-10 record the season before and 33-11 this year, yet they somehow stumbled at the worst possible moment. It’s a crazy contrast: individual and organizational excellence clashing with a historic, heartbreaking playoff collapse. You gotta wonder what happened behind the scenes to let a No. 1 seed get upset like that, even with all the talent and coaching accolades.
A’ja Wilson Made History, Shepard Blew Up, and the Rest of the League Showed Out
Beyond the Lynx’s wild season, the rest of the WNBA saw some incredible individual performances. A’ja Wilson solidified her legendary status, winning her fifth MVP award. That’s a huge deal, folks; she became the first player to win the MVP award in three consecutive seasons, a truly historic run that cements her as one of the all-time greats. Then there’s Jessica Shepard from the Dallas Wings, who snagged the Most Improved Player award. The Wings signed her in free agency on a two-year, $2 million deal, and she immediately justified every penny. Stepping into a full-time starter role for the first time, she nearly doubled her production, averaging 14.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, a massive jump from her eight points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists last season. She was second in the league in rebounding, 11th in assists, dropped six triple-doubles (leading the league!), and even recorded only the second 20-20-10 game in WNBA history. What a steal! Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream was named Defensive Player of the Year, and Janelle Salaün of the Golden State Valkyries took home Sixth Player of the Year. All major individual awards are out now, but we’re still waiting on the All-WNBA, All-Defensive, All-Rookie Teams, and the Sportsmanship award. It’s been a wild WNBA season, and there’s still more recognition to come.
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.
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