Image Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Kayla McBride Breaks Down After Minnesota Lynx’s 2025 WNBA Campaign Ends in Disappointment

The Minnesota Lynx suffered a heartbreaking 86-81 defeat to the Phoenix Mercury in Game 4.

Image Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Minnesota Lynx star Kayla McBride had an emotional reaction to her team’s disappointing ending to the 2025 WNBA season. The Minnesota Lynx suffered a heartbreaking 86-81 defeat to the Phoenix Mercury in Game 4 to lose the best-of-five semifinals series 1-3 on Sunday, September 28. The loss came as a significant blow to fans and fraternity who kicked off the campaign as favorites to win the title.

Following the defeat, McBride addressed the media and broke down in tears saying that it hurts to come this close to the trophy for the second season in a row and lose. In the 2024 season, the Lynx finished as runners up as the New York Liberty were crowned the champions. “You want it for the people that grind with you every single day, the good days, bad days, bus rides, locker room, like in pro sports,” Kayla McBride said after Game 4 loss.

Kayla McBride was emotionally distraught after Game 4, and explained what she’s feeling.

“We lay it out for each other. There’s never anything else, but each other. To be close, and hit adverse situations two years in a row, shit fucking hurts.” pic.twitter.com/z298fNL26O
— Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) September 29, 2025

“It doesn’t get as good. It doesn’t get any better than what we have in our locker room. That’s why I’m emotional because we lay it out for each other. There’s never anything else but each other. To be close, two years in a row, and hit adverse situations each and every time, for your sisters, your family, it hurts.”

McBride finished the 2025 WNBA postseason as the second-leading scorer for the Lynx. She averaged 20.0 points per game, along with 3.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. She was shooting 46.6% from the field, 47.6% from beyond the arc, and 100% from the free-throw line. In Game 4, she dropped a game-leading 31 points, four rebounds, and two assists, showing 6-11 from beyond the arc.

Courtney Williams Heaps Praise on Fellow Lynx Players After Season-Ending Game 4 Loss

Following the heartbreaking loss, Courtney Williams opened up on what it means to be there with that group of teammates. She heaped praise on her fellow Lynx players and said that they make it easy for her to come to work. “I mean, just amazing people,” said Williams, who ended tenth season on Sunday night.

“They make it easy to come to work. Make it easy to play hard for the person that you’re out there battling with. I think that’s been our M.O. all season, and I’m definitely happy to play with this group of people, for sure.”

The Lynx fell short in Game 4, despite leading the charts throughout the season and having the talent to win a championship. Williams looked back at the season, and said, “Honestly, it was a joy. I don’t look at this season and think, ‘Oh, this is hard because we’ve got a target on our back.’ That’s what we wanted, right?”

One of the main reasons behind the Lynx’s defeat was Napheesa Collier’s injury, which she sustained in the final seconds of Game 3. The leading Lynx scorer was ruled out of Sunday-night showdown, while the team also missed their head coach Cheryl Reeve. Reeve was serving a one-game suspension handed by the WNBA for her blunt remarks on the leadership after Game 3.

Kayla McBride

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.