Liberty Get Big News on Lynx Star
Some unfortunate news from Minneapolis means the next WNBA Finals rematch between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx will be missing some bite to it.
The Lynx announced on Monday that forward and WNBA MVP favorite Napheesa Collier will miss time with an ankle sprain sustained during last Saturday's win over the Las Vegas Aces. That essentially rules Collier out for Sunday's brouhaha in Brooklyn, the second of four get-togethers after the two sides waged an epic battle in year's championship series.
"After undergoing an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), Collier was evaluated by team physician Dr. Elena Jelsing at Mayo Clinic Square, where a right ankle sprain was confirmed," a statement from Lynx revealed. "Collier will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks and further updates on her progress will be provided when available."
Collier, who captained and curated one of the teams at the recent WNBA All-Star Game that saw her win MVP honors, is averaging a career-best 23.6 points a game (leading all scorers) along with 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals.
The defending Defensive Player of the Year recently earned the Western Conference's Player of the Month title for July 2025, matching the equivalent honor Liberty icon Sabrina Ionescu earned in the East. Part of her July work included a 30-point, nine-rebound showing against the Liberty last Wednesday night, which saw the Lynx earn a 100-93 triumph at Target Center.
While still featuring several major league talents, Sunday's game will be missing some of the heroines from last year's five-game fracas: the Liberty is missing Kennedy Burke, Nyara Sabally and Breanna Stewart to various ailments over the past few games (including Wednesday's game in Minnesota), though it did bring in touted free agent Emma Meesseman, who made her metropolitan debut on Sunday against the Connecticut Sun.
Beyond their on-floor talents in the WNBA, Stewart and Collier have collaborated to form Unrivaled, a domestic three-on-three league staged in Miami last winter. The two also serve as vice presidents in the WNBA players' union, which is attempting to land a new collective bargaining agreement with the league before its Oct. 31 expiration leads to a work stoppage.
Minnesota has likewise made moves in anticipation of a potential autumn rematch: hours before the Liberty's weekend-closing win in Uncasville, the Lynx acquired reigning Most Improved Player DiJonai Carrington in a trade with the Dallas Wings.
Sunday's game is the first of three meetings between the defending finalists in August. The Liberty returns to Target Center for a Minneapolis matinee on Aug. 16 before the Lynx return to Atlantic Avenue three days after.
Geoff Magliocchetti is a veteran sportswriter who contributes to a variety of sites on the "On SI" network. In addition to the Yankees/Mets, Geoff also covers the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, and New York Giants and has previously written about the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Staten Island Yankees, and NASCAR.