MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx today announced the team has agreed to a contract buyout with forward Angel McCoughtry.
“On behalf of the Lynx organization and players, I want to thank Angel for her belief in the Minnesota Lynx when she chose us in free agency,” said Lynx Head Coach and General Manager Cheryl Reeve. “Angel is one of the all-time greats in the WNBA and we wish her the very best.”
McCoughtry, 35, signed with Minnesota as an unrestricted free agent on Feb. 2, 2022. The 6-2 forward contributed a total of 12 points on 3-of-8 shooting, six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal in about 20 minutes of play for Minnesota this season.
“Minnesota is a great organization and a class act,” said McCoughtry. “Thank you to Cheryl Reeve, the coaching staff and my teammates for the opportunity to come to Minnesota. Although the organization has been very patient with my injury and helping me heal my body, sometimes it’s about what fits best for both parties. I believe in myself and I know I will be all the way back to perform at the highest level. To my fans, thanks for your support during this time. It’s because of your support that I’ll be back and ready to give the game all I got.”
The 12-year veteran was sidelined last season for the Las Vegas Aces due to a torn ACL and meniscus injury in her right knee that she suffered in a May 8, 2021 preseason game. During her 2020 campaign, she started all 23 games for Las Vegas, averaging 24.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg and 2.5 apg. She registered career-best percentages across the board with 51.8% from the field, 47.1% from deep and 88.2% from the line.
McCoughtry paced the league in scoring in 2012 (21.4 ppg) and 2013 (21.5 ppg) and is ranked 15th on the WNBA’s all-time leaderboard in total points (5,797), eighth in points per game (18.6), third in free throws made (1,512), eight in total steals (627) and fourth in steals per game (2.0). McCoughtry has appeared in 311 regular season games and 41 postseason contests and holds the single-game scoring records for both a WNBA Finals game (38, set vs. Minnesota in 2011) and a playoff game (42, set vs. New York in 2010).
Selected by the Atlanta Dream as the first overall pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft, McCoughtry led the Dream to three trips to the WNBA Finals (2010, 2011, 2013) among eight postseason appearances overall. The 2009 Rookie of the Year, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2012, 2016) a five-time WNBA All-Star (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018), an All-WNBA selection six times (First Team in 2011, 2015 and Second Team in 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016) and a six-time WNBA All-Defensive First Team member (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016). Last September, she was named to the W25, a list of the 25 greatest and most influential players in WNBA history, joining Sylvia Fowles and former Lynx players Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore, Katie Smith and Lindsay Whalen.