Before the Minnesota Lynx's road matchup against the Seattle Storm, head coach Cheryl Reeve gave Napheesa Collier a piece of advice ahead of her long-awaited return to the court.
"Cheryl (Reeve) did say ... 'It's going to take time to come back and to get settled in,'" Collier said Wednesday, July 22.
Well, it didn't take long for the five-time All-Star to get back into the swing of things. Collier recorded a 24-point, 10-rebound double-double in the Lynx's 86-76 win over the Storm, marking her first game since Sept. 26, 2025.
"I was just so excited. I felt like a kid in a candy store. I couldn't wait to get on the court to get with these guys," Collier said. "I was just really just happy to be here. ... It's just a year of pent-up excitement."
Collier underwent surgeries to both ankles this offseason after suffering multiple ankle injuries during the 2025 WNBA season. She injured her ankle during a 111-58 win over the Las Vegas Aces in August 2025 and missed 11 games. During Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals against the Phoenix Mercury, Collier suffered a Grade 2 tear of three ankle ligaments and her shin muscle after a collision with Alyssa Thomas.

#ankle #reeve