Kendra AndrewsApr 16, 2026, 10:15 PM ET
Napheesa Collier has signed a one-year, $1.4 million supermax contract to return to the Minnesota Lynx, sources told ESPN.
The team announced the signing Thursday night but did not disclose terms of the deal.
"Phee has been such an integral part of the Lynx since she was drafted in 2019," Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota's coach and president of basketball operations, said in a statement. "Coming off a historic 50/40/90 season and guiding the Lynx to the most wins in franchise history, Phee is hungry to position the Lynx for a championship run in 2026."
Collier is the third player in the WNBA to sign a supermax deal, along with Kelsey Mitchell, who signed a one-year contract with the Indiana Fever, and A'ja Wilson, who signed a historic three-year pact with the Las Vegas Aces.
Collier was "cored" -- akin to being given the NFL's franchise tag -- by the Lynx last week. She had until Friday before that core qualifying offer -- a fully guaranteed, one-year contract at the supermax, although different terms could be negotiated -- expired. Even if the core offer had expired, the Lynx would have maintained her exclusive negotiation rights.
She now will be an unrestricted free agent -- and, under the new collective bargaining agreement, unable to be cored -- in 2027.
Collier finished second in MVP voting in 2025 for a second straight year after averaging 22.9 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Lynx and becoming the second player in league history to finish a regular season with a 50-40-90 shooting split.
Collier, 29, shot 53.1% from the floor, 40.3% from 3-point range and 90.6% from the free throw line while averaging over 20 points -- the first player to accomplish such a feat.
Collier's MVP campaign slowed in August when she missed seven games because of a right ankle injury. She then injured her left ankle in Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals, ending her season.
Despite having the best regular-season record, the Lynx went on to lose that semifinal series against the Phoenix Mercury in five games. In January, Unrivaled announced that Collier would be sidelined for four to six months after requiring surgery on her left and right ankles.
Though Collier is expected to miss time at the start of the season, her return to Minnesota ensures that the Lynx retain their best player after losing a number of key contributors. Bridget Carleton was taken by the Portland Fire in the expansion draft, and Natisha Hiedeman, Jessica Shepard, Alanna Smith and DiJonai Carrington left in free agency. The team re-signed Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride, and selected Olivia Miles with the No. 2 pick in the WNBA draft Monday.
ESPN's Alexa Philippou contributed to this report.
