After a remarkable first year in the WNBA, the challenges of the 2020 season forced reigning Rookie of the Year Napheesa Collier to take on a different role for the Minnesota Lynx: captain. Collier showcased her ability to step up when her team needs her as a rookie, and this season she took it to a new level.
When teammate and co-captain Sylvia Fowles being sidelined for a majority of the season due to a calf injury, it became Collier’s duty to lead the team. Her time on the court this season only proved that she was as poised as any veteran in the game in just her second season as a pro.
In the 22-game regular season, Collier started and played in every single one, plus the four-game postseason run for Minnesota. The Missouri native ended the regular season leading all players in the WNBA in total minutes with a whopping 752 minutes on the hardwood as the league’s Iron Woman.
Her impressive resumé from the 2020 season didn’t end there. Anyone that’s familiar with Collier’s game knows that she is well-rounded and can arguably “do it all”. So, it came to no surprise that at the end of the season Collier found herself in the top-ten in the league in rebounds, steals and blocks per game to go with 16.1 points per game – up three points from a season ago. The 6-1 forward was then named to the Second Team All-WNBA and Second Team All-Defense, respectively.
With one of the youngest teams in the league right now, Collier led her team to a No. 4 finish in the standings. The 2020 season was only the second chapter of her time in the WNBA, and the sophomore’s future looks bright.