PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JULY 09: Head coach Cheryl Reeve talks to Napheesa Collier #24 of the Minnesota Lynx during the second half against the Phoenix Mercury at PHX Arena on July 09, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

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Megan Armstrong

By Megan Armstrong

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At the end of April, Minnesota Lynx announced that five-time All-Star forward Napheesa Collier had undergone a second ankle surgery on March 24, and "the current timeline for a return to on-court activities" was early June.

It's early June, so Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve was met with a flurry of Collier-related questions on Wednesday.

“I’m not equipped today to tell you exactly where she's at," Reeve said. "What does on court activity mean? She’s been on the court. Team-related activities and things like that? No, we’re not there. But she’s been on court doing basketball things."

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When asked if the Lynx's league-best 7-2 start could impact Collier's return date, Reeve responded with an emphatic "no, absolutely not."

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 09: Head coach Cheryl Reeve talks to Napheesa Collier #24 of the Minnesota Lynx during the second half against the Phoenix Mercury at PHX Arena on July 09, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

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Collier, the 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and 2024 Commissioner's Cup MVP, suffered a Grade 2 tear of three ankle ligaments in Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals against the Phoenix Mercury last September. The Lynx lost the series in the following game — a sour note to end a once-promising 2025 campaign that saw them finish with a league-best 34-10 record.

Collier's injury may have derailed the Lynx's 2025 playoff run, but the Lynx have otherwise picked up right where they left off through the first nine games of the 2026 WNBA season. The lion's share of the credit should go to Reeve, but rookie point guard Olivia Miles' impact cannot be understated.

Miles, the 2026 No. 2 overall pick, has slotted seamlessly into Reeve's scheme and allowed All-Star Courtney Williams to play in her natural shooting guard position. Miles scored or assisted on 39 of the Lynx's points in their 111-77 win over Phoenix on Monday, and the Lynx rank second in scoring (90.9 points per game) behind the Indiana Fever.

The Lynx are in an exceptional position to win their second WNBA Commissioner's Cup in three years this month, but they'll need Collier to contend for their first WNBA championship since 2017.

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