When the final buzzer of the 2024 WNBA Finals sounded, the Big Apple erupted in celebration, but the Minnesota Lynx? They stood still, their hearts sinking with the sting of defeat. While New York basked in glory, Cheryl Reeve’s words cut through the euphoria: “Because this shit was stolen from us.” Raw. Unapologetic. For her, it wasn’t just a loss—it was an injustice, and that fire ignited something inside the Lynx. Despite the media frenzy that followed—headlines like “Reeves blasts officiating” or ESPN’s “Cheryl Reeve says title ‘stolen’ from Lynx”—Reeve’s words had already done their work; they had set the tone. Fast forward to now, Napheesa Collier and her squad aren’t just chasing another title; they’re hunting redemption.

During the opening of training camp on April 27, 2025, Reeve again made it clear: “We opened training camp with conversations around just that… the joy of winning a championship is because it’s so hard to get there… but that’s also why the heartache is so great… so, it’s over. We don’t agree with the outcome, but it doesn’t matter. You can sit there and whine about it or you can say, I’m going to use it as fuel.”

As the team begins the 2025 season, they’re not just building on their past—they’re using that pain to fuel their future. Collier knows that the bond from last year’s team is solid, but this year, they’re hungrier. “We worked so hard last year, and we didn’t accomplish what we wanted, so that means we have to work even harder if we want a different outcome this year,” Collier says. So, as unfair as Reeve might think things were last year, she is not giving any place to complacency either. 

Reeve, ever the firebrand, is leading the charge with a clear message: No repeating last year’s heartbreak, even if it means turning the wheels of fate. So, the Minnesota Lynx aren’t just returning to the 2025 season—they’re back with a vengeance. All five starters—Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, Napheesa Collier, Bridget Carleton, and Alanna Smith—are back and ready to build on their near-miss. And that’s not all. Diamond Miller, Dorka Juhász, and Natisha Hiedeman are back in the fold, with new additions like Jessica Shepard, Marième Badiane, and Karlie Samuelson bringing fresh energy.

However, Reeve also knows that the team won’t go very far if they stay stuck on making it to the finals. She knows that every journey is so different that she is not even thinking about it. “Our starting point is different,” she said, and she’s right. With the team in training camp, she is now focusing on how to be successful because the other stuff takes care of itself. So, while the fuel is there, she is not using it for destruction, but for cooking up her own methods from the very beginning.

And Napheesa, who is coming back stronger after her Unrivaled season, knows that no one is going to feel sorry for her team. So, why should they? Her focus, as she said, is to make sure she avoids whatever she felt in the heat of the moment last year. Just in line with her coach, she also said that last year’s heartbreak isn’t letting her be complacent, and if last year’s hard work was not enough, she is ready to start from square one, too.

Now, you can probably guess that this offseason didn’t just make her physically strong, but mentally as well. After all, she was at the forefront of demanding a monumental change and never backed down. And we can expect that mentality to shine through on the court as well.

Collier: Dominating the Court and Beyond

So, yes, it’s not just the WNBA court that Collier is all set to dominate. As the women’s sports industry continues to soar with record attendance, ratings, and revenue, Napheesa Collier is leveraging her influence off the court to reshape the landscape for female athletes.

Her latest venture, Unrivaled, is a 3-on-3 women’s basketball league she co-founded with Breanna Stewart. In its inaugural season, Unrivaled earned over $27 million in revenue, largely driven by media deals, sponsorships, and merchandise sales. The league has redefined the athlete experience, offering state-of-the-art facilities, including nursing and daycare options, while paying players salaries averaging $220,000—well above the WNBA’s maximum for 2025.

Despite her impressive career, Collier remains keenly aware of the challenges women face in sports. During the CNBC Changemakers Summit, she remarked, “We have more leverage now than we’ve ever had as women’s basketball players.”

She reflected on how far the WNBA had come with its last collective bargaining agreement (CBA), but added, “We obviously saw a lot of things that we wanted to change in that.” Collier, who is actively involved in current CBA discussions, is committed to driving further change, ensuring women’s professional athletes are paid and treated with the respect they deserve.

For Collier, Unrivaled is more than just a league; it’s a tool to elevate women’s sports and empower athletes across the globe. She sees it as a vehicle to raise the entire ecosystem of women’s basketball and beyond, creating lasting financial and cultural change.