rewrite this content and keep HTML tags (remove this from content : rewrite this content and keep HTML tags)
Sunday morning’s WNBA MVP announcement didn’t go the way the Minnesota Lynx organization or its fans would have hoped for, as Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson took home the award for the fourth time in her career in a relatively decisive manner over Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier, who was considered a shoo-in to win it for the majority of the season.
While Collier has been adamant that the primary focus for herself and her Lynx is making a run in the playoffs and winning what would be a WNBA record fifth title for the franchise, her teammates and coach Cheryl Reeve have shamelessly stumped for her in press conferences and livestreams throughout the season.
Napheesa Collier Brushes Off MVP Talk, Focused On WNBA Finals Run https://t.co/DkCjc7JDm9
— Will Despart (@WillDespart) September 5, 2025
When the announcement was revealed on Sunday morning, hours before the Lynx were set to tip off their WNBA semifinal series against the Phoenix Mercury, you already knew that Reeve would have something to say about the league’s media failing to select the player she believed was the only option to win the award.
Reeve’s response to Collier’s snub was short and sweet, and also included a nod to Alanna Smith, who was named the WNBA’s co-Defensive Player of the Year in another voting outcome that the organization felt short-changed a singularly award-winning effort from Smith this season.
Cheryl Reeve on Napheesa Collier finishing second on MVP voting
“Voters, just like defensive player of the year, voters did what they did and were focused on game one” pic.twitter.com/0Lo4A0DR52
— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) September 21, 2025
“Voters, you know, just like Defensive Player of the Year, voters did what they did and were focused on game one.”
Although Collier lost the scoring title to Wilson in the final weeks of the regular season, she was the more efficient player offensively, becoming just the second player in league history, alongside Elena Delle Donne, to register a 50/40/90 season.
Collier finished second in scoring with 23.9 points per game, while also recording an average of 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists. She led the Lynx to a WNBA regular season record 34 wins and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs after a red-hot 9-0 start to the season. Unlike the New York Liberty, however, who also started 9-0, Collier and the Lynx were able to maintain their pace.
🚨 NAPHEESA COLLIER JOINS RARE COMPANY: 50-40-90 CLUB 🚨
53.1% FG40.3% 3PT90.1% FT
Collier is just the 2nd player in WNBA history to hit 50-40-90 in a season: Elena Delle Donne (2019) Napheesa Collier (2025)#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/q6y0qHjimQ
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 12, 2025
While she didn’t get an MVP ceremony on Sunday, Collier and the Lynx did get a big Game 1 win after trailing by seven points at halftime. The Lynx are now an unbeaten 3-0 this postseason, with Game 2 against the Phoenix Mercury scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST/4:30 p.m. PST at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Tuesday.
• Lynx Announce Unfortunate DiJonai Carrington News During WNBA Playoffs
• Paige Bueckers, WNBA Players React to DiJonai Carrington’s Three-Word Message
• Lynx Draw Second-Round Playoff Matchup After Liberty-Mercury Game 3
