Collier: MVP in sight after historic season with 50/40/90 in the WNBA

Napheesa Collier solidified her MVP candidacy on Thursday night, becoming the second player in WNBA history to finish a regular season with a 50-40-90 shooting percentage. This occurred after the Minnesota Lynx’s victory over the Golden State Valkyries with a score of 72-53 in Minneapolis. Collier, who finished the regular season with 53.1% in field goals, 40.3% in three-pointers, and 90.6% in free throws, joins Elena Delle Donne (2019) as the only WNBA players to achieve such a feat. In addition, Collier is the first to achieve it while averaging more than 20 points (22.9 points).

It’s only been achieved once before, and that player was the MVP. Phee deserves that recognition. The numbers don’t lie… It’s something historic. I don’t know how long it will be before it happens again. Napheesa Collier has been the best player in the WNBA. She deserves the MVP.

Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota coach

Reeve set this goal for Collier at the start of the season. Collier, goal-oriented, wanted something to fight for after finishing second in the MVP voting last season. Collier entered Thursday’s game knowing how many three-pointers he needed, and the minimum percentage, to achieve the milestone. He scored 3 of 4 three-pointers against the Valkyries.

When I achieve those things, I feel good. I adjusted it to the last game of the season.

Napheesa CollierTo achieve this goal, Collier, efficient at the free-throw line and inside the arc, focused on her three-point shot. Reeve pushed Collier to attempt more three-pointers per game, setting a minimum requirement for the five-time All-Star. Reeve stated that this change helped Collier reach a new level.

She’s already great. Two years in a row, she’s one of the best players in the league. I think [the three-point shot] was a special key to being truly unstoppable… Napheesa Collier is the most unstoppable player in the league.

Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota coach

She is the GOAT. Without her, we are not the Minnesota Lynx.

Natisha Hiedeman

Collier now leads the Lynx into the postseason, where they seek to reach the WNBA Finals for the second consecutive year and, this time, hope to win their fifth title in franchise history. The Lynx’s victory on Thursday means the Valkyries are the number 8 seed and Minnesota’s opponent in the first round. Minnesota had a 4-0 record against Golden State during the regular season.

We are a better team than [last year]. We have that year of experience, and experience always improves teams. We know what it takes to get there. We made it to the last possible game of the season last year… It made us better, it made us hungrier, and it’s something we’re thinking about as we enter the playoffs this year.

Napheesa Collier