Napheesa Collier

Napheesa Collier grew up in Missouri and began playing basketball at a young age. When an existing AAU team in Jefferson City would not let her try out, her parents helped create a new team, the Lady Warriors, giving her an early example of resilience and family support. She later played at Jefferson City High School before transferring to Incarnate Word Academy, where she became one of the top high school players in the country.

At Incarnate Word, Collier won three Missouri state championships and earned major honours including Gatorade Missouri Player of the Year, Miss Show-Me Basketball, McDonald’s All-American, and WBCA High School All-American recognition. Her performances made her one of the most highly regarded recruits of her class.

Collier joined the University of Connecticut in 2015 and became part of one of the most successful programmes in women’s college basketball. As a freshman, she helped UConn complete an undefeated 38–0 season and win the 2016 NCAA championship. Over four seasons, she helped the Huskies reach four Final Fours, win four conference regular-season titles, and four conference tournament titles.

Individually, Collier became one of UConn’s most productive forwards. She finished her college career with 2,401 points and 1,219 rebounds, joining the programme’s 2,000-point and 1,000-rebound club. She was a two-time American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, AAC Defensive Player of the Year, two-time AP First Team All-American, and 2019 Katrina McClain Award winner.

The Minnesota Lynx selected Collier sixth overall in the 2019 WNBA Draft. She made an immediate impact, starting every regular-season game as a rookie and winning WNBA Rookie of the Year. Over the following seasons, she developed into the face of the Lynx franchise, earning All-WNBA honours, All-Defensive selections, and multiple All-Star appearances.

Collier’s 2024 season marked a major step in her career. She won the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup and was named its MVP, earned WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, and led Minnesota to the WNBA Finals. In 2025, she continued her rise by earning All-Star Game MVP honours and becoming one of the few players in WNBA history to join the 50–40–90 club.

Collier has represented the United States at youth, senior, and 3x3 levels. She won gold at the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in 3x3 basketball, and the 2015 FIBA U19 World Cup, where she was named to the All-Tournament Team.

At senior level, she won gold at the 2019 FIBA AmeriCup before being selected for the United States Olympic team. She won her first Olympic gold medal at Tokyo 2020 and her second at Paris 2024, where she started all six games and helped Team USA secure an eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal in women’s basketball.

Napheesa Collier is a versatile forward known for elite two-way impact, efficient scoring, rebounding, defence, and basketball intelligence. She can score inside, face up from mid-range, stretch the floor, defend multiple positions, and contribute without dominating the ball. Her timing, footwork, and instincts make her especially effective as both a help defender and rebounder. Collier’s game is defined by consistency, composure, and complete all-around production.

Collier is the daughter of Sarah and Gamal Collier and has two siblings, Kai and Wanza. She married basketball skills coach Alex Bazzell in 2022, and the couple have a daughter, Mila Sarah Bazzell. Away from the court, Collier has advocated for women’s sports, climate action, reproductive health, and player opportunities. In 2023, she and Breanna Stewart announced the creation of Unrivaled, a new women’s professional basketball league designed to give WNBA players a domestic offseason alternative.

Napheesa Collier’s legacy is still developing, but she is already one of the defining players of the post-Maya Moore era in Minnesota. Her rise from Rookie of the Year to franchise leader, Defensive Player of the Year, Olympic gold medallist, and league innovator has made her one of the most complete players in modern women’s basketball.

Beyond her individual awards, Collier’s influence includes her role in creating Unrivaled, supporting player empowerment, and helping expand professional opportunities for women athletes. Her combination of elite performance, leadership, and off-court initiative places her among the most important figures in the current WNBA generation.

Napheesa Collier’s high school honours include three Gatorade Missouri Player of the Year awards, Miss Show-Me Basketball, McDonald’s All-American selection, and multiple state championships with Incarnate Word Academy.

At UConn, she won the 2016 NCAA championship, two AAC Player of the Year awards, AAC Defensive Player of the Year, the Katrina McClain Award, and multiple All-American honours. Professionally, she has won WNBA Rookie of the Year, multiple WNBA All-Star selections, All-WNBA First Team honours, WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, WNBA Commissioner’s Cup MVP, and WNBA All-Star Game MVP.

Internationally, Collier has won Olympic gold medals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, FIBA AmeriCup gold in 2019, FIBA U19 World Cup gold in 2015, FIBA Americas U18 gold in 2014, and Youth Olympic Games 3x3 gold in 2014.

Napheesa Collier is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx, widely recognised as one of the leading forwards in the WNBA. Born on September 23, 1996, in Jefferson City, Missouri, she developed into an elite two-way player through standout careers at Incarnate Word Academy, the University of Connecticut, and the WNBA.

At UConn, Collier won the 2016 NCAA championship, earned multiple All-American honours, and won the Katrina McClain Award in 2019 as the nation’s top power forward. Selected sixth overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2019 WNBA Draft, she won WNBA Rookie of the Year and later became a multiple-time WNBA All-Star, All-WNBA First Team selection, and 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. Internationally, Collier has won Olympic gold medals with Team USA at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. She is also a co-founder of the Unrivaled basketball league.