Per multiple reports all citing her medical team in the WNBA and in Unrivaled, Napheesa Collier will miss the second season of the pro 3x3 women's basketball league in Miami — and her 2026 season with the Lynx could even be in jeopardy. Collier will soon undergo surgery on both of her ankles, and her expected timeline for recovery is somewhere between four and six months, which extends into the expected WNBA season.
Collier initially sprained her right ankle during the Lynx's monster win over the Las Vegas Aces in August, which forced her to miss nearly three weeks of games before she was able to return to the court. After returning on August 24, Collier played into the postseason before she suffered torn muscles and ligaments in her left shin and ankle.
Though Collier initially said in mid-December surgery wasn't on the table, that decision has since been reversed. “I have fought hard over the last few months to be back with my Owls and was devastated to be told by my team of doctors that surgery was the best path forward,” Collier wrote in an Instagram post Thursday. “I will still be cheering on my teammates every step of the way, and I will continue to work relentlessly with the rest of the players and our staff to push our sport forward and raise the bar for women’s basketball.”
Napheesa Collier's injury update concludes a tough year
Collier's update rounds out what was a tough 2025 for the Lynx star. Collier was heavily favored as the MVP favorite until her initial injury, which gave A'ja Wilson the exact amount of time she needed to solidify her fourth MVP win of her career.
The Minnesota Lynx were also expected to wage a fierce battle during the postseason, a reality that didn't quite come to fruition (the Aces ultimately faced off against — and swiftly decimated — the Phoenix Mercury). Collier was a fan favorite during the first season of Unrivaled, and, as the co-founder of the league and one of the faces of the Lunar Owls, was expected to be a big presence this year as well.
Collier will be replaced by Temi Fagbenle, who spent the 2025 season with the Golden State Valkyries. Fagbenle will join a team that also includes Skylar Diggins, Marina Mabrey, Rebecca Allen, Rachel Banham and Aaliyah Edwards when things kick off in Miami on January 5.