MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The WNBA today announced that Lynx forward Napheesa Collier has been chosen by WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert as an injury replacement for Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson who is sidelined with an ankle injury. Collier will be making her first All-Star appearance and becomes the first Lynx rookie since Maya Moore (2011) and fourth Lynx rookie ever (Moore, Seimone Augustus and Betty Lennox) to be named to the All-Star Game in their first WNBA season. She joins teammates Sylvia Fowles and Odyssey Sims, who were named All-Stars last Monday.
This year marks the seventh time in franchise history the Lynx have had three or more representatives at the All-Star Game (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018). Minnesota is the only team in WNBA history to have three or more players represented in the All-Star Game seven times (Los Angeles- 6, Detroit/Tulsa/Dallas- 5). The 16th WNBA All-Star Game will take place in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 27 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. ABC will televise the game live at 2:30 p.m. CT.
In her first year out of the University of Connecticut, Collier is averaging 11.0 ppg on 44.2% shooting, 5.9 rpg, 2.3 apg and 1.9 spg. She’s third among rookies in scoring (11.0 ppg), second in rebounding (5.9 rpg), fourth in assists as well as third overall in the WNBA in steals (1.9 spg) and fifth overall in minutes played (32.5 mpg). Collier notched her first double-double July 14 vs. Phoenix, hauling down a career-high 11 rebounds. In her WNBA debut on May 25 vs. Chicago, she tallied a game-high 27 points, the second-highest total ever for any player in her WNBA debut; Candace Parker netted 34 points at Phoenix on May 17, 2008. The 27 points are also an all-time best for a player’s first game in a Lynx uniform (previously, 21: Augustus, Houston, Moore).