It appears as if Napheesa Collier is making major strides in her recovery from a lower-body injury. On Thursday, Collier returned to practice for the first time since suffering an ankle injury on Sept.26 during last year’s WNBA semifinals against the Phoenix Mercury.
Collier was placed on long-term injured reserve shortly after sustaining the injury. She also underwent surgeries on both her right and left ankles during the offseason. In her return to the floor, Collier went through a series of drills while appearing to be in great shape.
“It’s been going well, I’m progressing really well but obviously it’s hard to be out, not to be with the team,” Collier told the media. “I’ve been trying to take advantage of it, get healthy, bring my perspective which is different from the sideline than on the court. So trying to be like a player-coach out there for them, as best as I can, but it definitely feels better to be on the court.”
The fact that she is already back on the practice court with the team is a strong sign that she could make a return sooner rather than later. The All-Star forward has missed all 19 games this season, and the exact date of her eventual return to the lineup remains unknown.
Cheryl Reeve on Getting Napheesa Collier Back
Despite not putting a specific timeline on when Collier could return to the Lynx lineup, head coach Cheryl Reeve seemed optimistic when discussing her recovery.
“She’s the queen of FOMO. We were just talking the other day, and I commended her for the things you mentioned, it’s hard when you’re injured,” Reeve said. “She mentioned that the stuff she misses most is when you have a great play and that moment of reaction where you want to celebrate each other. She’s on the bench when it’s happening, so I’m excited for her to be able to be on the court and experience it all.”
Fortunately, Collier’s injury hasn’t deeply hurt the Lynx this season. Rookie Olivia Miles is having a record-breaking campaign in her absence, and getting Collier back in the lineup will add the kind of elite depth that will come in handy down the stretch.
Regardless of the exact timing of her return, Minnesota finds itself in a highly favorable position. Even without Collier, the Lynx have surged to a 15-4 record, sitting comfortably at the top of the standings.
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