MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Lynx currently sit in first place atop the WNBA standings with a record of 15-4. A constant theme of the first two months of the 2026 season in Minnesota has been who isn’t on the floor, as multi-time WNBA MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier and reigning EuroLeague Women MVP Dorka Juhász have yet to play this season. Both are working their way back from injuries.
Collier, who required surgery on both ankles this winter, underwent her final surgery on her left ankle on March 24. Juhász, who last played for the Lynx in 2024, sustained a foot injury in the EuroLeague Women Final 6 semifinal in April and hasn’t played since. The injury marked a bittersweet weekend for Juhász, who was crowned EuroLeague Women MVP the next day.
Their status for Friday night’s game against the Liberty in New York has yet to be determined, but both were full participants in Wednesday’s practice.
“It’s been going well,” Collier said Wednesday when asked about her recovery process. “I’m progressing really well, but obviously it’s hard to be out and not be in the team. I’ve just been trying to take advantage of it and get healthy, bring my perspective, which is different on the sidelines than when you’re on the court. I try to be like a player-coach out there for them as much as I can.”
Both Collier and Juhász will provide some much needed depth to Minnesota’s frontcourt when they do indeed return. The team waived backup center Teaira McCowan last week and lost promising rookie Czech international Emma Čechová for the season with a torn ACL in the third game of the year.
The presence of the two UConn alumni will ease the pressure on Natasha Howard and Nia Coffey and provide insurance in the event either gets into foul trouble.
“Definitely an adjustment,” Juhász said when asked what the first couple months of the season have been like for her. “If you’re out for two months, especially the conditioning piece, just kind of getting back that confidence. In the foot as well, jumping off and landing. It was definitely tough, ending [EuroLeague] on a high note. It’s like as players you expect to be back at that same level, but the reality is you’re slowed down a second. You feel it when you come back … It’s been a building process, obviously more and more so it’s exciting to [get back], take it day by day and kind of get back to that level.”
If no season debuts are made on Friday, the Lynx next have a ‘home-and-home’ with the Connecticut Sun next week, hosting the Sun at Target Center on Minneapolis, and heading out to Mohegan Sun on Wednesday.
“They’ve worked so hard in terms of ramping up, you know, the 2-on-2s, the 3-on-3s, and I think for them they looked pretty excited to be out there and executing [5-on-5s],” Lynx head coach and president of basketball operations Cheryl Reeve said after Wednesday’s practice. “There’s a lot of stuff that we’re doing that they have to get up to speed on, so I kind of saw their focus there. I mean, they’re two really good players, so that’s what I saw.”
The first status report in advance of Friday’s game is due to be made public by 5 pm ET on Thursday.
The Lynx and Liberty will fill the first leg of Friday night’s nationally televised double-header on ION at 7:30 pm ET.
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