Minnesota Lynx On SI

Napheesa Collier Brushes Off MVP Talk, Focused On WNBA Finals Run

An MVP would be a cherished accomplishment for Minnesota Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier, but winning a WNBA championship is her number one priority

Will Despart

Aug 24, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) looks on against the Indiana Fever in the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Aug 24, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) looks on against the Indiana Fever in the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

It's no secret that Thursday's matchup between the Minnesota Lynx and the host Las Vegas Aces is a matchup between two of the very best players in the WNBA, not just today, but ever. The game all of a sudden has legitimate MVP implications as well, amid A'ja Wilson leading the Aces on a 12-game win streak while Napheesa Collier spent most of August nursing a foot injury.

The timing of Collier's return in late August prompted plenty of speculation from fans and talking heads around the game that Collier had begun to hear Wilson's footsteps creeping in the distance in an MVP race where Collier had spent nearly the entire season beforehand as the decisive frontrunner.

Speaking with Minnesota Lynx On SI shortly before tip-off against the Aces on Thursday, Collier's comments proved that wasn't exactly the case. While Collier would certainly love to take home the MVP award, the top priority is making sure her team is in a prime position to make a run for the franchise's fifth championship in the coming weeks.

“Obviously, it would be cool to get MVP,” Collier said. “But I think just as a whole, I’m really focused on a championship and making our run for the playoffs. (Right now) I think it’s just about fine-tuning. Making sure that we feel good about our offense and our defense going into the playoffs. Earning the No. 1 seed this early is a good position to be in, because it lets us try some different lineups and other things we may want to try.”

Finishing The Regular Season

After the Aces game on Thursday, Minnesota will have just three games remaining in the regular season to get right and try those different things that Collier mentioned before embarking on a playoff run that will come with the highest expectations the franchise has seen since Maya Moore's retirement.

The Lynx will head to San Francisco for a matchup with the Golden State Valkyries at the Chase Center on Saturday before heading to Indiana for another road tilt against the Caitlin Clark-less Fever on Monday. Minnesota will then close the regular season with one final matchup against the Valkyries back home at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Sept. 11 before the WNBA postseason begins on Sept. 14.

Collier remains a substantial favorite to win the WNBA MVP according to sportsbooks nationwide, but public comments from confirmed award voters suggest the race will go all the way down to the wire.

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Will Despart
WILL DESPART

Will Despart is a Las Vegas-based sportswriter who covers the NBA for OnSI. He also writes for Ballislife and handles multiple beats for The Sporting Tribune, including the Las Vegas Aces and Las Vegas Raiders. His reporting has been featured in newspapers across the country through the Field Level Media news wire.

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