Latest injury may spell doom for 2026 Minnesota Lynx season before it starts

Assuming a new CBA is signed, free agency happens, and the 2026 WNBA Draft takes place, this year’s season is set to begin on or around May 8. The Minnesota Lynx, who were favored to win the 2025 WNBA Championship before they were knocked out of the playoffs, are expected to be on a bit of a comeback tour this year — but Kayla McBride’s recent injury might derail those efforts before the team can even get started.

McBride suffered a torn quad muscle in her right thigh while training with Fenerbahçe Opet in Turkey, the team announced this week. Her timeline for recovery could bump up dangerously close to WNBA training camp, and even the season itself. According to the Cleveland Clinic, a complete quad tear can take up to six months to heal.

Napheesa Collier is also dealing with injuries

McBride isn’t the only player on the Lynx’s roster that’s contending with a serious injury. On January 1 Unrivaled announced Collier would miss the league’s entire second season due to an injury she sustained during the WNBA Playoffs. As the league explained, Collier will be sidelined for four to six months as she recovers to surgery on both of her ankles.

“I am heartbroken to share that I will miss this Unrivaled season. I have fought hard over the last few months to be back with my Owls and was devastated to be told by my team of doctors that surgery was the best path forward,” Collier said in a statement. “I will still be cheering on my teammates every step of the way, and I will continue to work relentlessly with the rest of the players and our staff to push our sport forward and raise the bar for women’s basketball.”

Collier battled ankle injuries throughout the 2025 WNBA season, but things came to a head during a playoff game against the Phoenix Mercury. Collier sprained her ankle during an August 2 game against the Aces, and returned to the floor three weeks later. She then tore three ligaments in her left ankle and a muscle in her left shin while battling the Mercury during the semifinals.

The Minnesota Lynx are focused on winning

It’s no secret the Lynx are hungry for a championship. The team suffered a disappointing loss to the Liberty in 2024, and exited last year’s playoffs too early for their liking. The potential dual loss of McBride and Collier for any part of the WNBA season is already a tough pill to swallow, and the team will have to navigate the beginning of the season carefully to get to the result they really want.