Minnesota Lynx star and Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier announced that she would miss the upcoming Unrivaled season due to bilateral ankle injuries.
Photo courtesy of Unrivaled
Unrivaled confirmed that her expected recovery timeline is four to six months, which could also affect the start of the WNBA season. After “exhausting all options,” the medical staff determined that Collier will undergo surgery on her left and right ankles. The announcement comes after Collier sustained injuries during the 2025 WNBA season.
According to Kendra Andrews of ESPN, Collier will undergo surgery on both of her ankles in the first week of January and will be performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley in New York City.
“I am heartbroken to share that I will miss this Unrivaled season,” said Collier, who co-founded Unrivaled alongside Mist forward Breanna Stewart in 2023. “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.
“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. I will be back at full strength as soon as possible and ready to continue where I left off, but for now, it’s still and always will be Hootie Hoooooo!”
Napheesa Collier Finished Second in 2025 WNBA MVP Race Behind A’ja Wilson
Collier appeared in 33 games and led the Lynx to the No.1 seed during the 2025 WNBA season, averaging 22.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.2 steals per game. She also joined Elena Delle Donne as the only players to record a 50-40-90 stat line throughout the season.
Collier was a clear favorite to win the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player award at the start of the 2025 campaign, but ended up finishing second to Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson for the second consecutive year.
During the Lynx’s historic win on the road over the Las Vegas Aces in August, Collier sprained her right ankle, causing her to miss three weeks of action. However, she returned to Minnesota, played in the final eight games of the season, and participated in the playoffs.
During Game 3 of the semifinals against the Mercury, Collier injured her left ankle in a collision with Alyssa Thomas during the Lynx’s loss. This moment led to head coach Cheryl Reeve arguing with the officials and getting ejected from the game.
Phoenix eliminated Minnesota in Game 4 after losing both Collier—who later revealed that she had three ligaments in her left ankle—and Reeve, who was suspended and received a $15,000 fine.
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Collier Aimed to be Fully Healthy by January
When asked whether she needed surgery on her left ankle during the Unrivaled media day on Dec. 16, Collier stated, “I did not need surgery. I am still working to get back to 100%, but I have been doing my rehab every day. It’s gotten way, way better, so I’m just taking it every day at a time, and I’m excited to get back out there.”
Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve sounds off on officials after Napheesa Collier left Game 3 with an injury on a controversial play
(via @espn) pic.twitter.com/5tArsIofX9
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) September 27, 2025
She also stated that her goal was to be healthy by January, which marks the start of the second Unrivaled season. With this injury, what does this mean for Collier, Unrivaled, and the future of the WNBA?
How the Injury Will Impact the 2026 Unrivaled Season
In the inaugural season of Unrivaled, the Lunar Owls dominated with a 13-1 regular-season record, but Vinyl eliminated them in the playoffs’ semifinals.
Collier was a key part of the team’s success, leading the league in scoring with 25.7 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per game and winning the Most Valuable Player award.
Along with guard Skylar Diggins, she is one of the only returning players from last season for the Lunar Owls. This season, the team has added guards Rebecca Allen, Marina Mabrey, and Rachel Banham, as well as forward Aaliyah Edwards.
After losing Collier to injury, could Edwards have the opportunity to excel and contribute to the team in a larger role? She was the runner-up in Unrivaled’s one-on-one tournament, which Collier won last year.
Golden State Valkyries forward Temi Fágbénlé will fill Collier’s void for the Lunar Owls throughout the Unrivaled season, which will start on Monday.
Could Collier’s Injury Impact the Lynx’s No. 2 Pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft?
The Lynx acquired the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft through a trade with the Chicago Sky the night before the 2025 WNBA draft.
Collier’s absence won’t just affect her teams on the court. The latest news raises questions about Minnesota’s draft strategy and the broader WNBA landscape. If there’s a lockout, Collier will have considerable time to rest and recover.
With Collier potentially missing time, the team has various options for the second overall pick, including Spain center Awa Fam and UCLA Bruins forward Lauren Betts.
In Ballislife’s 2026 WNBA Mock Draft, Betts is projected to be selected second overall by the Lynx, as she is known as a prominent two-way interior threat.
What Collier’s Injury Means Amid WNBA CBA Negotiations?
Last September, Collier addressed the media with a two-page statement during the Lynx’s exit interviews, directly calling out WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and uniting the players.
During the media day of Unrivaled on Dec. 16, the former UConn standout stated, “Nothing has changed [on the leadership] since then, but I feel really confident in our PA [Players Association]and where we are with our players and the future…We’re just really excited for the future, and what that has to hold, and especially with all these different leagues popping up, Unrivaled, CBA negotiations, the future just seems so bright, so I feel good about [the WNBA’s leadership].”
Since then, players across the league have been raising awareness about the need to increase their salaries and secure a fair revenue share.
According to Alexa Philippou of ESPN, the deadline for the current CBA is approaching on Jan. 9. In a recent report, the WNBA and the players’ union remain “far apart” on key issues, including revenue sharing and pay equity.
“Revenue and salary are the two things that we are the most passionate about, the things that we know that need to get done first,” Collier said. “But there’s many areas that we’re looking to have better benefits with motherhood, retirement, and so many different areas that also need to get done. But we definitely want to keep the rep chair, specifically the main thing, and that’s why you’ve seen that so much, and why other things haven’t been talked about as much is because we have put as players so much emphasis on that part.”
The main question is whether the league and the players’ union will finalize the CBA negotiations or face a lockout or strike that could have significant impacts, especially after their recent success over the last few years.
The Lunar Owls will take on defending champions, the Rose, in Unrivaled’s season opener on Monday, Jan. 5, at 8 p.m. EST.
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