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Report: Cheryl Reeve receives contract extension with Minnesota Lynx

By Howard Megdal

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 5: Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx waves to fans during the Minnesota Lynx title parade on October 5, 2017 at The University of Minnesota Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 5: Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx waves to fans during the Minnesota Lynx title parade on October 5, 2017 at The University of Minnesota Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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One of the biggest WNBA free agent prizes is off the market. The Minnesota Lynx extended head coach Cheryl Reeve through the 2019 season, according to journalist Pat Borzi.

The decision to retain Reeve might have been the easiest one in professional sports. The Lynx captured the 2017 WNBA title in grand fashion, winning Games 4 and 5 over an elite Los Angeles Sparks team, after running through the regular season with the league’s best record.

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Reeve continues to maximize her production out of a veteran team, intelligently limiting the minutes for over-30 stars like Lindsay Whalen, Sylvia Fowles, Rebekkah Brunson and Seimone Augustus. Meanwhile, Reeve can continue managing the on-court evolution of Maya Moore, who is making a run at a strong claim to be the greatest player in WNBA history.

All Reeve did was guide the Lynx to a 27-7 mark, complete with the best offensive and defensive efficiency in the league, while pushing Fowles to a new level that earned her both an MVP and a Player Efficiency Rating of 30.8, best of her career and 12th-highest in league history.

Reeve now sports a career regular season mark on 194-77 as a head coach in the WNBA, while continuing a career-long trend: she’s never gone two straight seasons as a head coach without winning a WNBA title. Going 40-15 in the WNBA playoffs, as Reeve has, helps make that a reality.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – OCTOBER 04: Head coach Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx pours champagne on owner Glen Taylor after winning against the Los Angeles Sparks in Game Five of the WNBA Finals on October 4, 2017 at Williams in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Lynx defeated the Sparks 85-76 to win the championship. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – OCTOBER 04: Head coach Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx pours champagne on owner Glen Taylor after winning against the Los Angeles Sparks in Game Five of the WNBA Finals on October 4, 2017 at Williams in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Lynx defeated the Sparks 85-76 to win the championship. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

According to league sources, no other team made a run at Reeve this winter, which is surprising, given what Reeve’s presence could do for a franchise. Then again, Taylor certainly understands the value of Reeve, too, and was unlikely to let himself be outbid.

Now Lynx fans can breathe easy as the offseason gets started in earnest.

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