NapheesaCollier

News: 1 day agoCollier underwent surgery on her left ankle March 24 and is expected to return to on-court activities in early June, Sara Jane Gamelli of BallisLife.com reports.

Spin: Collier underwent surgery on both of her ankles in early January and will miss time at the beginning of the 2026 campaign after requiring an additional procedure on her left ankle. The superstar forward signed a one-year, $1.4 million contract with the Lynx on Thursday and is coming off a career-best year in 2025, during which she averaged 22.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks in 32.3 minutes per tilt across 33 regular-season games. She also shot 53.1 percent from the field, 40.3 percent from beyond the arc and 90.6 percent from the charity stripe. Her absence will likely result in expanded roles for Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride (ear) and Natasha Howard, while Nia Coffey and Anastasiia Kosu could see increased playing time.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Collier is coming off a second consecutive second-place finish in MVP voting in 2025, during which she averaged 22.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks in 32.3 minutes per contest across 33 regular-season appearances. She was extremely efficient, becoming just the second player in WNBA history to finish the regular season with 50/40/90 shooting splits and the first to do so while averaging 20-plus points per game. However, the 29-year-old forward missed time with a right ankle sprain and later sustained a Grade 2 tear of three ligaments in her left ankle and a muscle in her shin during the WNBA Semifinals. The superstar underwent bilateral ankle surgeries in early January and is expected to miss four to six months, so she could be forced to miss time to begin the 2026 regular season, but she'll officially be back with the Lynx this year after signing a supermax contract with the team during the offseason.