Full Breakdown
Minnesota Lynx Target a Return to the Summit in 2026
By Drooid · · How we work
Recent History and Motivation
The Lynx’s 2017 championship—won on a night in early October 2017 when Sylvia Fowles posted 20 rebounds and Maya Moore added 18 points—remains a touchstone for the franchise. A loss in the 2016 finals to the Los Angeles Sparks, a “stolen” 2024 title claim by coach Cheryl Reeve citing poor officiating, and a 2025 conference-semi exit after Napheesa Collier’s double-ankle injury have all been framed by veterans as fuel for the current campaign. Forward Natasha Howard says the team carries “a chip on everybody’s shoulders” and is determined to avenge past disappointments.
Key Figures
- Cheryl Reeve – head coach, the winningest coach in WNBA history despite a decade without a championship.
- Olivia Miles – No. 2 overall pick, rookie leader in points (19.7 ppg) and assists (6.0 apg), touted for Rookie-of-the-Year and MVP conversations.
- Natasha Howard – veteran forward, former champion, now an All-Star and vocal motivator.
- Clare Duwelius – basketball operations coordinator (formerly Lynx staff, now EVP of the three-on-three league Unrivaled), frequent commentator on the team’s culture.
Data & Statistics
- Current record: 31-9, first place in the league with four games remaining.
- Miles leads the Lynx in scoring (19.7 points per game) and playmaking (6.0 assists per game), breaking several rookie benchmarks.
- The Lynx have led the league in wins for nearly the entire season and can clinch the top playoff seed as early as Friday.
Official Perspectives
Coach Reeve has described the 2024 finals loss as “stolen” by bad officiating, underscoring a lingering sense of injustice. Howard emphasizes that the team’s mindset is shaped by past heartaches, noting that opponents often underestimate the Lynx’s playoff resolve. Miles’s family background—her father Yakubu, a Jamaican-born software developer, and mother Maria, a chemical engineer—is cited as contributing to her maturity and on-court leadership.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I feel like Minnesota could have won the championship last season,” — Natasha Howard, a forward on that championship-winning squad
- “But, definitely, it was in the back of everyone’s mind trying to avenge that heartbreaker,” — Clare Duwelius