Wednesday marked the return of Minnesota Lynx star forward Napheesa Collier. And – suffice to say – she did not disappoint. Collier, playing in her first game of the 2026 season, scored 24 points en route to an 86-76 victory over the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena.
The former WNBA Defensive Player of the Year had been out since the beginning of the season as she recovered from double-ankle surgeries.
Following the game, Collier said she couldn’t have been more thrilled to be back on the court.
“I was just so excited,” Collier told reporters. “I felt like a kid in a candy store. I couldn’t wait to get on the court, to get with these teammates, just a lot of excitement. Just happy to be here (laughs).”
Collier not only led the team with 24 points, but she also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds in just 22 minutes.
She started off cold as she shot just 1 of 6 from the floor in the first quarter before the shots started falling, as she knocked down 4 of 6 shots in the second quarter. She finished with 9-for-20 shooting, including 2-for-6 from three-point range and a perfect 4-for-4 performance from the stripe.
Her return comes at the perfect time for the Lynx, who need more consistency and a fully healthy roster to maintain their position atop the WNBA standings. With the win, Minnesota heads into the All-Star break riding a seven-game winning streak.
Cheryl Reeve Shares First Impressions of Watching Napheesa Collier Return to the Court
As you might expect, Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve also had glowing things to say about Napheesa Collier after her first game back on the floor.
“First off, I thought we did a great job managing her minutes and sticking to the plan,” Reeve said. “She’ll tell you those first three minutes were the hardest of all the minutes she played…”
As mentioned earlier, Collier had a slow start to find her rhythm, but once she found her footing and settled in, she started to remind everyone why she’s one of the best in the business.
“It was probably above anything I could have expected. Interesting that No. 24 scores 24 in her return. I like that a lot,” Reeve added.
Collier and the Lynx still have work ahead to build their strongest team, and turning their current success into genuine championship aspirations relies heavily on Collier and her fit within this new-look lineup, which is off to a very strong start.
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