Cheryl Reeve is the winningest coach in the WNBA, a fact that might change, one day. But it doesn't seem like that day is coming anytime soon. The Minnesota Lynx absolutely dominated the 2026 regular season, and the team is hoping for a comeback tonight when they meet the New York Liberty in Brooklyn.
No matter what happens in that game, the Lynx are still one of the best, most cohesive teams in the league. Sue Bird pointed to an underrated reason why the team performs so well while speaking to the Portland Fire's head coach Alex Sarama in today's episode of Bird's Eye View. While the pair spoke about the Lynx's talent, they specifically addressed another strong skill the Lynx have in their corner: the entire coaching staff can scout.
Scouting is something that Sarama also takes seriously. His CLA-based coaching method is deeply entrenched in stats, analytics, and details. After the Fire's last regular season game, a 90-82 win over the Golden State Valkyries, Sarama credited one of the team's coaches with having put together the scout report that helped the team succeed. If there's anyone who will enjoy a lengthy conversation about the importance of a good scout and data, it's Sarama.
Bird said that working with Reeve in the USA Basketball system has been illuminating. As she put it, "And you know, not to get too ahead of myself, but playing for Cheryl with USA Basketball, I then got like a firsthand account of what it is when she does a scout. And it is extremely detailed. She knows the plays before they even are coming. She's informing her team of all these things."
It's no surprise that Reeve was named Coach of the Year by the WNBA and by the Associated Press this year. It's an honor that's much deserved, and her ability to correctly and accurately scout a team well is a huge part of her success. The honor was the fifth of her career.
It's also one that she won after a successful season with rookie Olivia Miles, who was drafted by the Lynx as the No. 2 overall pick in this year's WNBA Draft. Miles, who was named Rookie of the Year this season, has made an enormous impacton the Lynx. Though A'ja Wilson is expected to be named MVP this season by the WNBA, Miles gained plenty of attention for her effort this season.
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