Fresh off a gold medal victory at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, now a two-time Olympic gold medalist, is ready to channel her Olympic energy back into the WNBA season. However, Collier also spoke about the intense pressure that comes with being a part of Team USA, describing it as sometimes “unfair” but ultimately beneficial for her growth as a player.
Collier, who played a large role in Team USA’s journey to its eighth consecutive Olympic gold, acknowledged the weight of expectations placed on her and her teammates.
“It comes with a lot of pressure and sometimes that is really unfair,” Collier said, as reported by Taylor Rivera of WCCO Radio. “But I think you do your best under pressure and the expectation of that allows you to become an even better basketball player.”
As a prominent figure on both her WNBA team and the national squad, Collier is no stranger to high-stakes basketball. She started all six games for Team USA in Paris, averaging 6.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Her performance in the gold medal game against France saw seven points and 11 rebounds, helping secure the historic victory.
Despite the challenges, Collier views the pressure as a driving force that pushes her to elevate her game.
“You're literally the best in the world at that time and to reach it is really, really hard. It's amazing because it comes with the level of excellence that preceded you,” Collier said, per Carl Ademec of CT Insider. “It's amazing because it comes with the level of excellence that preceded you. To be part of something that dominant is an amazing experience.”
Napheesa Collier, Lynx face Mystics in first post-Olympic break matchup
Collier’s commitment to excellence is clear as she prepares to rejoin the Lynx for the second half of the season, who are tied for third in the WNBA standings. Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, who also led Team USA in Paris, also expressed confidence in the team’s readiness to resume the season in their first post-Olympic break game against the Washington Mystics on Thursday.
“I think what our, what our possibilities are is exciting, and we play tomorrow night and we're ready to go,” she said. “We're ready to go.”
The Lynx are in a strong position as they return to WNBA action, tied with the Seattle Storm at the top of the Western Conference.
Looking ahead, Collier is already setting her sights on future international competitions, including the possibility of representing Team USA at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I hope I'm in LA in 2028,” Collier said. “When USA Basketball calls, I always answer.”
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