The Minnesota Lynx come into the 2024 WNBA Playoffs as the No. 2 overall seed in the standings and with a first round matchup against the No. 7 seed Phoenix Mercury. But before the playoffs actually begin, the Lynx made a roster move this week in signing rookie guard Olivia Epoupa for the rest of the season and into the postseason, the team announced.

Epoupa began this season with the Lynx but was traded to the Washington Mystics in the trade that brought Myisha Hines-Allen to the Lynx. The Mystics then waived Epoupa and she wound up back in Minnesota.

The Lynx had an available roster spot being one below the league maximum of 12. The Lynx will begin the WNBA playoffs with homecourt advantage against the Mercury with Games 1 and 2 being held in Minnesota. The first two rounds of the WNBA playoffs are a best of three series with the first two games being at the home team's arena. If necessary, Game 3 will be hosted by the road team.

Although Epoupa has given the Lynx quality minutes at times this season, it's not clear whether she'll play a major role during the playoffs. Courtney Williams has been the team's starting point guard with Natisha Hiedeman as the backup.

Olivia Epoupa was French star before joining Lynx

France point guard Olivia Epoupa (22) reacts against Serbia in the women's basketball bronze medal match during the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1.
Jeff Swinger-Imagn Images
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Although this is Epoupa's first season in the WNBA, she had been playing professional basketball long before that. She was also a fixture on the French national team during international competition.

Epoupa has been playing professionally since 2012 and has played in France, Turkey, Hungary and Australia. She was also a standout during the 2016 Olympics for France, averaging 9.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists. She did not participate in either the 2020 or 2024 Olympics.

She has also suited up for France in various FIBA tournaments including the 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. That tournament she averaged 5.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists.

Epoupa has always been a balanced, all-around type of player and that's exactly the type of game she's displayed this season with the Lynx. One of her best games of the 2024 season came on June 2 when she came off the bench to contribute four points, two assists and four steals in a little over 13 minutes.

She followed that up with another breakout game of two points, eight rebounds and seven assists against the Seattle Storm on June 9. Overall, Epoupa has appeared in 17 games for the Lynx at a little over six minutes per game.