Big News for Minnesota Lynx: Star Player Phee Collier Is Almost Back!

By Myron Medcalf, July 11, 2026, 01:01 PM ET

What’s the Buzz in Minneapolis?

The Minnesota Lynx are a team in the WNBA (that’s a league where the best women basketball players play). Here’s what’s happening:

• They just won an exciting game against the New York Liberty with a score of 90–85 on Saturday.
• Their record is 17 wins and 6 losses (they won 17 times and lost 6 times).
• They are tied for first place with another good team, the Las Vegas Aces.
• Coach Cheryl Reeve says their super star Napheesa Collier (everyone calls her "Phee") might return to play very soon!

Who Is Napheesa Collier?

She is an All-Star (a special title for the best players) for the Lynx.

• She had two ankle operations (doctors fixed both her ankles) during the offseason (the time when there are no games).
• In 2024 and 2025, she came in second place for the MVP (Most Valuable Player — the best player in the whole league) behind A’ja Wilson.
• She recently started practicing again to get ready for her first game this year.
• Coach Reeve said after Saturday’s win: "I don’t have a date for you as to when, but obviously she’s getting really close." The coach also said it will be a bit of "trial and error" (we’ll try and see what works) when she returns.

Important Point
Even though another player is doing amazing, Coach Reeve made it clear before the game: "It’s still Phee’s team." She is the leader, and teammates like Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride happily agree.

The Super Rookie Olivia Miles

While Collier was healing, a brand-new player (called a rookie — someone in their first year) named Olivia Miles has been fantastic!

• She was chosen as an All-Star and will even start in the All-Star Game.
• On Saturday, she scored 23 points (points are like scores in basketball), grabbed 5 rebounds (catching the ball after someone misses a shot), and made 4 assists (passing to a teammate who then scores).
• According to ESPN Research, she became the fastest player ever in the league to reach 350 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists all together!
• She is now being talked about as an MVP candidate too, along with her teammate Natasha Howard (who scored 16 points on Saturday).

How the Team Stuck Together

Without Collier, the Lynx still played great.

• Kayla McBride scored a game-high 25 points, including 5 shots from far away (called "beyond the arc"). She helped the team come back after the Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu scored 19 points in the third part of the game.
• McBride said the team loves playing together: "When you care about one another and you’re trying to win every possession, you’re competing together… adding an MVP candidate for the last couple years into that mix just gets us really excited."
• The team feels confident and happy, but they know Collier is the missing piece.

What Happens Next? (Step by Step)

1. The Lynx have five more games before the big All-Star Game.
2. Three of those games will be at their home court (in Minnesota).
3. The All-Star Game is on July 25 in Chicago — a fun break where the best players meet.
4. Collier will slowly join back; the coach says they’ll "feel it out" as they go.
5. Reeve wants to see Collier play with Miles to learn how they work together. She said Collier will benefit from having a natural point guard (a player who leads the team’s passing) like Miles — something past Lynx stars like Seimone Augustus and Maya Moore had.

Callout
Coach Cheryl Reeve just made history! With a win over the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday (86–80), she got the most regular-season wins of any coach in WNBA history. Wow!

The coach also said Miles’ toughness is "natural" and helps her succeed, but it’s too early to call anyone else the leader besides Collier.

Summary

To wrap it up like a neat little package:

• The Minnesota Lynx are doing super well (17–6) and tied for first place.
• Their star Phee Collier is almost ready to play again after ankle surgeries.
• New player Olivia Miles is breaking records but Collier is still the boss.
• The team is excited, confident, and has five games before the All-Star break.
• Coach Reeve is the winningest coach ever — go Lynx!

FAQ (Questions Kids Might Ask)

Q1: What is the WNBA?
A: It’s a basketball league for the best women players in the world, just like the NBA but for women.

Q2: What does "MVP" mean?
A: MVP means Most Valuable Player. It’s like a trophy for the player who is the most helpful and best on the court.

Q3: Who is Olivia Miles?
A: She is a first-year player (rookie) for the Lynx who is already an All-Star and breaks records, but she is not the team leader yet.

Q4: When is the All-Star Game?
A: It’s on July 25, 2026, in Chicago. It’s a special game where the best players have fun together.

Q5: Why is Napheesa Collier such a big deal?
A: She was almost the MVP two years in a row, she is the team’s leader, and everyone is excited for her to come back and help the Lynx win even more.