Image Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Napheesa Collier Injury Update: What Happened to Napheesa Collier? How Long Will She Be Out For?

The Lynx received a huge blow during Game 3 loss!

Image Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

On September 26, the Minnesota Lynx visited PHX Arena to lock horns with the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of their 2025 WNBA semifinals series. Once the favorites to bag the championship, the Lynx now find themselves at the brink of elimination.

The Lynx who kicked off the series with a blowout win over the Mercury lost their second consecutive game as they went down 84-76 on Friday. Adding to their concerns, Lynx’s leading scorer Napheesa Collier went down with an apparent left ankle injury.

Minnesota finished Game 3 without Napheesa Collier or Coach Cheryl Reeve.

Coach was assessed a second technical foul and ejected after Collier collided with Alyssa Thomas on this play. pic.twitter.com/6ZNGuUSXi9
— espnW (@espnW) September 27, 2025

In the final 23.8 seconds left in Game 3, Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas swiped the ball from Collier. Thomas made an incidental contact with Collier’s leg, and as a result the star forward twisted her left ankle. Collier left the floor limping and in tears, while head coach Cheryl Reeve had to be held by her assistants before getting ejected. Collier, the 2025 MVP Finalist, dropped 17 points, six rebounds, and three assists.

How Long Will Napheesa Collier Be Out For?

While there is no official announcement on Collier’s injury and return, coach Reeve shared a concerning update during the post-game presser. According to Reeve, Collier “probably has a fracture.” This not only puts her status for Game 4 on Sunday in jeopardy, but also raises concerns about Lynx’s season.

The top-seeded team entered the postseason as the top favorites to grab their fifth championship title. They were the only team to sweep the first round series in two games and move to semifinals. In fact, they kicked off the series with a blowout win over the Mercury, but ended up losing Game 2 in an intense overtime thriller. In Game 3, they had a small four-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, but ended up being outscored 9-21.

They are just one loss away from being eliminated before even making it back to the finals. It goes without saying that without Collier, the Lynx will struggle to keep up with the Mercury who not only have home-court advantage but are also in winning momentum.

2025 WNBA Playoffs

Napheesa Collier

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.