Napheesa Collier’s Double Ankle Surgery: A Tough Break for Unrivaled and the Lynx
In the cruelest of twists, the league that Napheesa Collier helped build will have to launch its second season without her. It’s the kind of irony that makes you want to laugh, if only to keep from crying. Collier, the Minnesota Lynx superstar and co-founder of the 3-on-3 Unrivaled league, is officially out for the next four to six months. The culprit? Not one, but two ankles that finally decided they’ve had enough of the grind. Just days before tip-off, the Lunar Owls lost their captain, Unrivaled lost its reigning MVP, and basketball fans lost the chance to watch one of the game’s smoothest operators go to work this winter.
It’s a brutal blow, not just for the stat sheet, but for the soul of the game. Collier isn’t just a player; she’s the engine that makes everything go. To see her sidelined right when her passion project is about to take center stage feels like a bad script rewrite. But if there’s one thing we know about Phee, it’s that she doesn’t do anything halfway, including rehab.
The Timeline for Collier’s Return
Let’s rip the Band-Aid off: we aren’t seeing Collier on a basketball court for a long time. The official timeline is four to six months. If you’re doing the math at home, that doesn’t just wipe out the entire Unrivaled season (Jan. 5 through March 4); it puts a massive, scary question mark over the start of the 2026 WNBA season.
Surgeries are scheduled for the first week of January with Dr. Martin O’Malley in New York City. Best case scenario? She’s back in May, ramping up right as the WNBA season tips off. Worst case? We’re looking at a return around the All-Star break. For a Lynx team that relies on her for, well, everything, that is a terrifying prospect.
Collier had been optimistic. As recently as mid-December, she was telling reporters she was “working to get back to 100%” without going under the knife. But sometimes, sheer willpower isn’t enough to knit ligaments back together. After consulting with medical teams in Miami and Minnesota, the verdict came down: the recovery had stalled. Surgery was the only path forward.
A Season of Wear and Tear
This didn’t happen overnight. Collier’s ankles have been through a war zone over the last year. It started back on August 2 against the Las Vegas Aces, where a sprained right ankle cost her three weeks of action. At the time, she was the frontrunner for MVP, playing basketball at a level that was frankly ridiculous. She came back, but the basketball gods weren’t done.
During the WNBA semifinals against Phoenix, disaster struck again. In Game 3, she tore three ligaments in her left ankle. Three. And yet, she tried to push through because that’s just who she is. The Lynx eventually fell in the series, and the toll on her body was finally due.
“I have fought hard over the last few months to be back with my (Lunar) Owls and was devastated to be told by my team of doctors that surgery was the best path forward,” Collier shared on Instagram. You can feel the heartbreak in that statement. This wasn’t just another offseason gig; this was her baby.
What This Means for Unrivaled
The show must go on, even if the co-founder is watching from the sidelines in a walking boot. The Lunar Owls BC, who finished as runners-up last year, now have a massive void to fill. Replacing a player who joined the prestigious 50/40/90 club in 2025 isn’t really possible; you just hope to stop the bleeding.
Golden State Valkyries forward Temi Fagbenle has been tapped to take Collier’s roster spot. It’s a tall order for Fagbenle, stepping into the shoes of the league’s reigning MVP. The pressure will now shift heavily onto Skylar Diggins to steer the ship, with Aaliyah Edwards and Marina Mabrey needing to become primary scoring threats overnight.
The league itself will miss her star power. Unrivaled was built on the premise of keeping top talent home and paying them what they’re worth. Having one of the faces of that movement in street clothes is a marketing headache and a competitive bummer.
The Road Ahead for the Lynx
If you’re a Minnesota fan, you’re likely staring at a wall right now. Collier has finished second in MVP voting to A’ja Wilson for two straight years. She is the defensive anchor, the offensive hub, and the emotional leader of the franchise.
Starting the 2026 season without her is akin to trying to drive a car without a steering wheel. You might move forward, but you probably aren’t going where you want to go. The Lynx will have to navigate the early months of the season with a “survive and advance” mentality until their captain can lace them up again.
It’s a cruel reminder of the fragility of professional sports. One minute you’re co-founding leagues and chasing MVPs; the next, you’re learning how to walk again. Here’s hoping the rehab is smooth, because the WNBA is simply better when Napheesa Collier is on the floor.
