Cheryl Reeves snubs Napheesa Collier, claims Olivia Miles and Natasha Howard were their best players

Following one of the biggest playoff upsets in WNBA history, Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve harshly criticized Napheesa Collier during interviews after the team's first-round series defeat to the New York Liberty. Despite being the first seed and the consensus best team in the league heading into the playoffs, the Lynx were swept 2-0.

Reeve seemingly undermined Collier's season-long stellar performances, instead singling out Olivia Miles and Natasha Howard as the team's best players. "Our two best players all season long were Olivia Miles and Natasha Howard. Unfortunately for us, Liv and Tasha were kind of rendered ineffective in these two games," Reeve stated.

Although Miles and Howard did not have standout performances, with Miles only scoring five points on one field goal and Howard scoring just six points on two field goals, Collier's reliability and consistency were undeniable. Collier averaged 16.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in the season while shooting 50% from the field and 44.4% from beyond the arc.

She was a key contributor to the Lynx's run to the 2024 WNBA Finals. Critics argue that Reeve was too dismissive of Collier's star power, particularly considering she played only 16 games due to injuries during the 2025 season. Despite the criticism, Collier is expected to consider her options in free agency this summer, with many believing she may have played her last game with the Lynx.