Do you know that every time Cheryl Reeve’s Minnesota Lynx have lost in a WNBA Finals, they’ve bounced back the next year to win it all? They did it in 2013 after falling to Indiana in 2012. Again in 2015, after a Finals loss in 2014. Now, in 2025, the script looks familiar—and hopeful, especially with Napheesa Collier looking unstoppable. The Lynx, undefeated so far, looked like they were revving up for another revenge tour. But then came the twist. Just as the season picked up steam—boom—a knee injury update on their star forward threatens to change everything.

“Napheesa Collier (knee) popped up on the status report for tomorrow’s Lynx-Mercury matchup. She’s listed as QUESTIONABLE,” journalist Meghan L. Hall posted on X. And just like that, the calm confidence around the Lynx shifted into a collective holding of breath.

It’s not the first time Collier has been forced to watch from the sidelines. Back on July 4, 2024, she aggravated plantar fasciitis in a game against the Connecticut Sun, which cost her multiple games just before the Paris Olympics. When she returned on August 15, she immediately dropped a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double. Her presence is just that vital for the lynx.

This season, she’s been a revelation. Averages of 26.8 points, 7.8 boards, 3 assists, 2.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game—she’s doing it all. So yes, this injury update stings. Her absence Friday against the Mercury, or longer, could force Cheryl Reeve to go deep into the bench. Players like Karlie Samuelson, Jessica Shepherd, and Diamond Miller may see more minutes, but filling Collier’s shoes is no small task.

Last year’s Collier-less stretch from July 6 to August 15 saw the Lynx go 3-2. Wins came against a struggling Washington squad and a Sparks team minus Cam Brink. Let’s just say, Courtney Williams’ mid-range game was doing overtime. But 2025 is a different beast. The league’s stronger. Nearly every team looks ready to run the table.

If the Lynx want to keep pace, they’ll be hoping their MVP candidate’s knee holds up. Because without Phee, this championship rerun might get cut short for one of the most popular players in the league

Will Collier’s MVP Push Survive This Injury Setback?

And to be truthful, ever since Caitlin Clark’s quad injury sidelined her, Napheesa Collier has emerged as the (-170) betting favorite to win the MVP, according to DraftKings. And honestly, with the way she’s been playing, it’s hard to argue against that. In fact, alongside Wings star Paige Bueckers, Collier has become one of the players both the league and fans have gravitated toward in Clark’s absence.

On Locked On Women’s Basketball, Lucas Seehafer of The Next joined Howard Megdal to unpack exactly how and why Collier has taken that next leap. The answer? It’s not just the stats—though those are ridiculous. We’re talking 26.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game, on 52.7% shooting from the field and 43.8% from deep. She’s been elite on both ends.

But what Seehafer and Megdal emphasized is that Collier’s also the heart of the Lynx. She’s the leader, the culture-setter, the defensive anchor—and that all matters come MVP time. In Megdal’s words: “I’ve said it over at The Nine, writing about this as well… To me, she comes in as the favorite to win the MVP. The GM survey said that she was the favorite to win. And this is to take nothing away from Caitlin Clark.”

Beyond her numbers, the moment feels right. Minnesota women’s basketball has had a tight bond with its fanbase for over a decade. The Lynx regularly pull strong crowds, and as Seehafer put it: “I think you can make the argument that, really, the most successful sports entity in the state has been women’s basketball.”

Collier kicked off the season with 34 points in just 32 minutes against Dallas, then strung together three more 20+ point games, a feat only Maya Moore had achieved to start a season in Lynx history. With the team sitting at 5-0, their best start since 2017, and Collier just named Western Conference Player of the Week, her MVP résumé looked airtight. But there came the twist: the foot injury.

It’s unclear yet how serious it is, but this could be the only thing that derails her campaign. In a season where Caitlin Clark is recovering and A’ja Wilson is sharing the spotlight with a stacked Aces team, the MVP race felt like Collier’s to lose. As of now, she’s still listed as the -170 favorite to win the award.

So the question is simple: if the injury isn’t serious, she might just run away with it. But if she misses significant time? The entire MVP picture could shift—again.

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