Last Friday, Minnesota Lynx All-Star forward Napheesa Collier provided a vague update on her recovery from offseason surgery to repair torn ligaments in both of her ankles.
“Right now, I’m just working as fast as I can with my doctors and my [physical therapy] staff, just trying to get back on the court,” Collier said during her press conference alongside Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride. “But everything is going well, so you’ll see me soon.”
The Lynx were more specific on Tuesday.
“Collier underwent successful surgery on her left ankle on March 24,” the Lynx said in a media release, per ESPN’s Kareem Copeland. “Her rehabilitation is progressing as expected, and the current timeline for a return to on-court activities is early June. Further updates on Collier’s progress will be provided when available.”
Collier missed time last July and August due to a right ankle sprain, and then she suffered a Grade 2 tear in three ankle ligaments and a shin muscle during Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals against the Phoenix Mercury last September. The Mercury dispatched the Lynx in four games.
Collier’s injury was the sour cherry on top of a disappointing end to the 2025 season. The Lynx finished the regular season with a WNBA-best 34-10 record and, for large swaths of the season, were expected to at least reach the 2025 WNBA Finals. Instead, the Las Vegas Aces swept Phoenix to win their third title in four years.
It goes without saying, but a healthy Collier will be necessary for the Lynx to have a chance at winning their first title since 2017.
The Lynx drafted Collier sixth overall out of UConn in 2019. She won Rookie of the Year and took the mantle from the likes of Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowlers as the Lynx’s new face of the franchise. The four-time All-Defensive, four-time All-WNBA, and 2024 Defensive Player of the Year is still searching for her first ring and WNBA MVP.
But first, Minnesota would just like to have her back on the floor in any capacity at all.
The Lynx will open their 2026 season against the Atlanta Dream on May 10.