Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier “has officially been diagnosed with a right ankle sprain and is expected to be sidelined for 7-10 days,” per WNBA reporter Mitchell Hanson.
Collier originally exited Wednesday's game against the Washington Mystics with an undisclosed ankle injury, walking off the court gingerly with just under four minutes remaining in an eventual five-point victory for the Lynx. The 26-year-old finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds in 35 minutes, notching her sixth double-double of the season.
The Lynx (11-13) will certainly miss Collier as she's their best player, holding the fourth-highest scoring average in the WNBA (21.8 points per game) and consistently making her presence felt on the interior with 7.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Named an All-Star selection in 2023 for the third time in her career, Collier has bounced back magnificently from a 2022 season that saw her suit up for just four games due to maternity leave.
Article Continues BelowIn her absence, rookie forward Diamond Miller — the No. 2 pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft out of Maryland — may be called upon to step up even more. She scored 21 points in the Lynx's victory over the Mystics on Wednesday and is averaging 13.0 points per game this season, the second-highest on the team (behind Collier) and among the 2023 draft class (behind Indiana Fever forward-center Aliyah Boston).
Veteran guard Kayla McBride, a three-time All-Star that ranks third on the Lynx with 12.0 points per game, will also need to step up in her absence. Especially with Minnesota facing the New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun, two of the best teams in the WNBA, two times each over the next seven days.