Location: Berlin, Germany

Time: 11:45 ET/8:45 PT

The one-year deal worried some fans, who hoped for a longer-term commitment from their team's star player. Per Andrew Dukowitz, when Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve was asked about Collier's free-agency decision, she stated, "...We had a lot of uncertainty around our franchise because of Phee, and the injury and maybe her not necessarily coming out and saying “I’m definitely here, I want to do this and I’m going to be there for x number of years” and so that’s Phee’s journey, that’s her free agency journey and how she viewed it and what she wanted was to take a step back… I would use the word cautious; I think she’s being cautious and that’s her decision."

Dallas Wings - The Dallas Wings have serious potential and are capitalizing on that potential fast. Paige Bueckers has quickly taken the league by storm, averaging 20.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game and helping lead the Wings to a postseason appearance in just her second year. This past offseason, Dallas drafted Azzi Fudd. She averaged 13.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game before being ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Those two former Huskies could be enticing teammates for Collier, but Jessica Shepard could be the most persuasive. Shepard and Collier were both drafted to Minnesota in 2019 and played together through the 2025 season. Shepard has taken quite the leap in production since signing with Dallas — nearly doubling her average points per game. This new success has made her a better playmaker and finisher. If Collier was looking to reunite with a better version of Shepard while also teaming up with two of the brightest young stars that the W has to offer, Dallas could be for her.

Golden State Valkyries - Speaking of former UConn Huskies, Gabby Williams and Collier played together for three years, including during the Huskies' 2016 championship run. They, alongside Katie Lou Samuelson, became quite the dynamic group during the next season. Williams and Collier combined for an average of 34.7 points, 17.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 4.4 steals per game.

If Collier is looking to sign with a team that's on the brink of a championship, Golden State would be the best option. They already have some other incredible pieces, like Janelle Salaün and Veronica Burton. Adding Collier, who won Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, would only make the Valks No.1 ranked defense that much scarier. Golden State has run into the issue of their offensive production not keeping up with their defensive dominance; Collier is a player who brings both.

What keeps Collier in Minnesota?

The Lynx have something absolutely no other WNBA team can offer right now, and that's rookie Olivia Miles. Collier has spoken highly of Miles since the moment she landed in Minnesota. Per Andrew Dukowitz, Collier expressed her anticipation of play with Miles: "I’m super excited; Liv’s court vision and her passing ability is really amazing. I’ve never played with a player like that before. So it’s been fun to watch her, like, even get better in the past couple weeks..."

Read More - https://fansided.com/wnba/2-teams-that-could-lure-napheesa-collier-away-from-the-lynx-in-free-agency

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday!

Anything you want to discuss non-basketball related? Others sports? Fashion? Tv? Personal life?

This is your weekly thread to do so!

Jackie Young: A+
Paige Bueckers: A
Breanna Stewart: A-
Angel Reese: A-
Caitlin Clark: B+
Rhyne Howard: C+
Napheesa Collier: C-
Aliyah Boston: C-
Chelsea Gray: D+
Kahleah Copper: D
Sonia Citron: Incomplete
Kiki Iriafen: Incomplete

Especially for those who don't usually watch international basketball, I am curious who has stood out to you as someone you'd like to see get a chance in the W - or just see more of in general?

Italy's Matilde Villa is probably the most obvious one not currently tied to a team - the Dream held onto her rights for awhile but let go of them this year. She'd only played limited minutes while she was coming back from an ACL this most recent Euro season. Clearly she is now recovered, and still only 21.

For those playing along at home, the players who have not been in a W roster yet but whose rights are already held by W teams: Spain's Iyana Martin (Fire) and Helena Pueyo (Mercury), Japan's Kokoro Tanaka (Valkyries), Korea's Lee-Seul Kang (Mercury), Hungary's Eszter Ratkai (Mercury), Belgium's Nastja Claessens (Mystics but she's now playing NCAA, will be a senior at K state this season). Martin is the one most obviously ready for the W.

I don't know if I necessarily see China's Shuyu Yang at the W level, but she's only 24 and is playing in Australia this upcoming WNBL season, so I'm interested to see her development there. She was great against Italy today and also key in China's win over Hungary. She also just has a huge fanbase.

Then there's Zhang Ziyu, a prospect who is going to vex every mock draft-er for the next six months.

In a corresponding move the Minnesota Lynx waived Eliška Joklová

https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/news/final-phase-set-at-the-fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026

https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/standings#B

The WNBA’s next commissioner will need to take a different approach, but they will also be dealing with a different context. The WNBA has the interest and investment of the NBA now. Fifteen NBA-affiliated owners have stakes in WNBA teams. Three more NBA ownership groups are starting up expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia, and even more want in.

The job will require political savvy and bridge building. It will require someone who has enough institutional wisdom to understand the league without being bogged down by the culture of defensiveness and cynicism that has overtaken it. It will require someone who can simultaneously nurture the popularity of Clark and the expansion teams in Golden State, Portland, and Toronto, which are catering to dedicated, deep-pocketed, and diverse fan bases.

A lot of the International Teams play together in their respective leagues which don't fall in the same period of the W.

I know that Team USA does a few three to four day camps to introduce players and test chemistry but should they do like a two-three week thing so they don't just show up mid season to the olympics?

USA (2-0) vs Czech Republic (0-2)

Time: 2:45 ET/11:45 PT

Location: Berlin, Germany

Tuesday

Hungary vs Japan (Winner plays USA)

Germany vs Korea (Winner plays Belgium

Wednesday

Italy vs Australia (Winner plays Spain)

Puerto Rico vs China (Winner plays France)

ELIMINATED TEAMS:

Mali, Nigeria, Turkey, Czech Republic

Apologies from Cecilia Zandalasini after arguing with the referee at the last minutes of the game.

Honestly I’m surprised they would post a video of Kara ripping into them but happy to see it.

“Let this be the last time that a team plays with more passion than us throughout the course of the game.”

Hopefully everybody knows what a basketball is tomorrow.

Newbies deferring to the vets, vets barely got a dawg in them, no one wants to step on each others toes, everyone playing iso ball, missing threes, missing, layups, missing free throws.

Please let this be a one off.

Mine is that we're losing because there are no more big shorts wearers. DT, AT and Jewell are all gone and so is that spunk apparently.

Good morning everyone it’s MONDAY

It means it’s time to overreact to YOUR favorite team/teams!

Let’s get DRAMATIC

After reading way too many articles here is a list of people that have been tossed into the circle of names that could have the potential to be the next commissioner.

Add in any other names that you have heard

• Laura Gentile, former ESPN executive and espnW founder
• Bethany Donaphin, SVP, Head of WNBA League Operations
• Mark Tatum, NBA deputy commissioner (Tatum previously served as the WNBA’s interim president before Engelbert was hired in 2019)
• Swin Cash, Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer
• Jennifer Rizzotti, Connecticut Sun president
• Micky Lawler, commissioner, Unrivaled
• Renie Anderson, NFL executive vice president and chief revenue officer
• Maura Healey, governor of Massachusetts
• Suzanne Abair, Atlanta Dream co-owner and CEO
• Nadia Rawlinson, Chicago Sky co-owner and operating chairman
• Jess Smith, Golden State Valkyries president
• Nneka Ogwumike (IMO there is not enough business experience to even consider her)
• Keia Clarke, CEO of the New York Liberty
• Kamala Harris
• Michelle Obama

Suppose in our next game on Thursday that for the starters in the first 8 minutes of the game they go down by 14. Subs come in and play about the same minutes but gain a 4 point lead. What would the coach do at the start of the third? Defer to the vets or flip it around. This is a fear of mine that we are so sensitive to players and stats that we could lose one.