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Napheesa Collier

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Napheesa Collier
Collier in 2023
No. 24 – Minnesota Lynx
PositionPower forward
LeagueWNBA
Personal information
Born (1996-09-23) September 23, 1996 (age 28)
O'Fallon, Missouri, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight179 lb (81 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeUConn (2015–2019)
WNBA draft2019: 1st round, 6th overall pick
Selected by the Minnesota Lynx
Playing career2019–present
Career history
2019–presentMinnesota Lynx
2020–2021Lattes-Montpellier
2023-presentFenerbahçe
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Team
Collier in 2019

Napheesa Collier (born September 23, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Fenerbahçe of the Women's Basketball Super League, Euroleague Women. After playing college basketball for the University of Connecticut Huskies, Collier was drafted by the Lynx with the 6th overall pick in the 2019 WNBA draft. She participated in the 2020 Summer Olympics games in Tokyo as part of the United States Women's Basketball team that won the Gold Medal.[1]

Early life

When Collier wanted to play basketball, the only Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team in Jefferson City wouldn't let her try out, so her parents started a new team, the Lady Warriors, and recruited girls from other nearby towns.[2] The Lady Warriors went on to compete in the national AAU tournament.[3][2] The team that originally didn't even let Collier try out later offered her a spot, but she remained with the Lady Warriors.[2]

In her freshman year, Collier played for Jefferson City High School in Jefferson City, Missouri, where she averaged 17.9 points and 9.8 rebounds. In her sophomore year, she transferred to Incarnate Word Academy,[4] where she averaged a high of 24.6 points and 12 rebounds. Collier also competed on her high school track team. She was the 2013 and 2015 Gatorade Missouri Player of the Year, one of five finalists for the 2015 Naismith Award as national Player of the Year and Women's Basketball Coaches Association High School All-American.[5]

College career

Naphessa Collier, being presented with awards reflecting 2000 points and 1000 rebounds

At the end of her UConn career, Collier ranked 3rd in scoring, 4th in rebounds, and 7th in blocks. She ranks 4th in most consecutive starts at UConn, with 112, had 49 career double-doubles, and averaged a double-double (20.8/10.8) her senior season. She became the fifth player in the exclusive 2000/1000 club, joining UConn greats Maya Moore, Tina Charles, Breanna Stewart and Rebecca Lobo. Collier reached the 1000 rebound mark in the game against Louisville, and reached 2000 points in the very next game against Cincinnati.[6] She was a member of the 2016 Connecticut Huskies National Champion team and reached the Final Four in each of her four years at UConn. She received the Katrina McClain Award for Power Forward of the Year from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in her senior season. She was an AP 1st Team All-American in both her senior and sophomore seasons, and 2nd Team in her junior season. Collier has the most rebounds (411) in a season at UConn, and finished 2nd with most points in a season at 792 points, trailing only Maya Moore. As a duo, Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson scored the most points in UConn WBB history (4688), topping B. Stewart and M. Jefferson, two teammates from their freshman season.

Professional career

Minnesota Lynx (2019–present)

2019 season: Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie Team, first All-Star appearance

Collier was selected by the Minnesota Lynx as the 6th overall pick in the 2019 WNBA draft. She was asked to play small forward, then power forward, and later, small forward.[7] In her first WNBA game, Collier scored 27 points against the Chicago Sky, the second-highest debut ever for any rookie (after Candace Parker).[8] She played 33.3 mpg, more minutes per game than any other WNBA player.[8]

She is the second rookie (after Tamika Catchings) in WNBA history to record 400 points, 200 rebounds and 60 steals.[9] Collier is the fourth player (after Maya Moore, Catchings and Sheryl Swoopes) to have a season with 400 points, 200 rebounds, 75 assists, 50 steals, 25 blocks and 25 made three-pointers.[8] Collier was voted to the 2019 WNBA All-Rookie Team, and made an All-Star as an injury replacement for A'ja Wilson.[8]

For the season, Collier averaged 13.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.9 steals and 0.9 blocks. She shot 49.0% from the field, 36.1% from three, and 79.2% from the free throw line.[8] She was chosen ESPNW, Associated Press, and WNBA Rookie of the Year.[10]

2020 season: In the bubble

In the 2020 season while in the WNBA bubble, Collier started a podcast with A'ja Wilson, Tea with A & Phee, which was picked up by Just Women's Sports the next year.[11][12] She was selected for the All-WNBA Second Team and the All-Defensive Second Team for the first time.[13][14]

2021 season: All-Star again

Collier was selected for her second All-Star game.[15]

2022 season: Mostly maternity leave with a send off for Syl

Collier was on maternity leave for most of the 2022 season due to the birth of her daughter in May 2022. She returned to the Lynx in August 2022 and played four games. She stated she wanted to be able to return to play once more with Sylvia Fowles, who retired from the Lynx and the WNBA after the 2022 season.[16]

2023 season: All-WNBA First Team, playoff return

Collier returned in 2023 stronger and had an MVP-caliber season for the Lynx in her first as the team's new captain.[17][18] At the June 29, 2023, game, Collier became only the second player in WNBA history to put up a stat line with 30+ points/5+ rebounds/5+ assists/5+ blocks; Collier had 31 points, eight rebounds, five assists and six blocks.[19] She returned to the All-Star game for her third appearance.[19] She was selected for the All-WNBA First Team for the first time.[20] She was also selected for the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team for the second time.[21] She was also named to the Minnesota Lynx All-25 Team for the team's 25th anniversary.[22]

2024 season: Off to MVP caliber start

Beginning the 2024 season, Collier became the first player in the league to ever "score at least 115 points, get 50 rebounds and have 25 or more steals and blocks (she has 14 steals and 11 blocks) and 20 assists in any five-game stretch," as reported by Cheryl Reeve on May 27, 2024.[23] She was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for the fifth time on May 21, 2024, averaging "24.5 points on 46.3% shooting, 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 3.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game."[24] In the June 14, 2024, Lynx home game against the Sparks, Collier became the first WNBA player to ever have 30+ points, 8+ steals, 5+ rebounds, and 2+ blocks in a game.[25] Her eight steals in the game set a new Lynx franchise record.[26] Collier won the MVP award when the Lynx won the 2024 WNBA Commissioner's Cup championship on June 25, 2024, against the New York Liberty.[27]

Overseas

Collier played for Lattes-Montpellier in France in 2021, where she was part of the team that won the Coupe De France Finale in Paris.[28]

In 2023, Collier played for Fenerbahçe in the Turkish Super League on a short term contract, along with her Lynx teammate, Kayla McBride.[29] During her short time with the team, she was named Most Valuable Player in the SuperCup Women championship.[30] She returned to the team in January 2024.[31] She was part of the team that won the club's second straight EuroLeague Women championship in April 2024.[32] Collier had 33 points in the final, which was the second highest ever.[33]

Announcement of Unrivaled league

In July 2023, Collier announced she and Breanna Stewart are forming a new professional women's league, Unrivaled, to give WNBA players an option to play in the W's off season and have an alternative to playing overseas to earn money. The league, which is in the development stage with sponsorships, is expected to start in 2025 and will feature 30 players in a 3-on-3 or 1-on-1 format. The initial season will be from January through March and will be played in Miami.[34]

National team career

In June 2021, Collier was named to the United States Women's Olympic basketball team to compete in Tokyo, Japan during the 2020 Summer Olympics, marking her first selection.[1][35] She and Team USA went on to win the gold medal in the tournament, defeating Japan 90–75 in the final.[36]

Collier was named to the Women's Olympic basketball team to compete in Paris, France for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[37]

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game  FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold  Career best ° League leader

WNBA

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2019 Minnesota 34 34 33.3 .490 .361 .792 6.6 2.6 1.9 0.9 1.9 13.1
2020 Minnesota 22 22 34.2 .523 .408 .829 9.0 3.3 1.8 1.3 2.7 16.1
2021 Minnesota 29 29 34.6 .441 .253 .860 6.6 3.2 1.3 1.3 2.3 16.2
2022 Minnesota 4 4 22.8 .423 .286 .714 3.0 1.0 0.5 0.3 0.3 7.3
2023 Minnesota 37 37 33.5 .485 .298 .840 8.5 2.5 1.6 1.2 2.4 21.5
Career 5 years, 1 team 126 126 33.5 .480 .318 .831 7.5 2.8 1.6 1.1 2.2 16.6

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2019 Minnesota 1 1 38.0 .727 .333 .500 10.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 4.0 19.0
2020 Minnesota 4 4 34.3 .500 .538 .625 9.0 3.0 0.5 2.5 2.0 16.5
2021 Minnesota 1 1 35.0 .273 1.000 .000 4.0 2.0 3.0 0.0 4.0 8.0
2023 Minnesota 3 3 36.0 .509 .333 .867 8.0 1.7 0.7 1.3 2.3 23.7
Career 4 years, 1 team 9 9 35.3 .504 .500 .741 8.2 2.4 1.0 1.7 2.3 18.2

College

Year Team GP Points FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2015–16 UConn 38 258 .533 .154 .917 5.2 0.9 1.3 1.2 6.8
2016–17 UConn 37 754 .678 .431 .818 9.1 2.2 1.7 2.1 20.4
2017–18 UConn 37 597 .583 .344 .786 7.4 3.3 1.6 1.7 16.1
2018–19 UConn 38 792 .612 .283 .697 10.8 3.5 1.5 1.7 20.8
Career 150 2,401 .601 .303 .804 8.1 2.5 1.5 1.7 16.1

Personal life

Off the court, Collier loves to read, especially mystery novels by Ruth Ware.[38] In October 2019, she became engaged to Alex Bazzell, a basketball skills coach. In November 2021 they announced they are expecting their first child, a baby girl.[39] On May 25, 2022, Collier gave birth to a baby girl, Mila Sarah Bazzell.[40] On October 7, 2022, Collier and Bazzell were married in St. Louis.[41]

Collier became the first WNBA player to join EcoAthletes to work on climate action.[42]

Collier is the granddaughter of Gershon Collier, a Sierra Leone Creole lawyer, former ambassador to the United Nations, former ambassador to the United States, and, briefly, chief justice of Sierra Leone.[43] Later, an expatriate, educator, and Yankees and Giants fan, he died two years before she was born.[43] Her father, Gamal Collier, explained to The New York Times that he brought up Napheesa to know the "importance of self-sufficiency and responsibility and upholding the family name."[43] Gershon had helped Sierra Leone gain its independence from the United Kingdom in 1961.[43]

Her younger brother Kai played football at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri.[43]

References

  1. ^ a b "The Female Field: Napheesa Collier makes her first Olympic roster". 2 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "One of the 144 | By Napheesa Collier". The Players' Tribune. 2019-09-23. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  3. ^ Writer, Staff. "Lady Warriors advance to AAU nationals". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  4. ^ "Napheesa Collier". usab.com. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  5. ^ "Napheesa Collier". Uconnhuskies.com. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  6. ^ Stacy, Kelli (2 February 2019). "Napheesa Collier becomes fifth Husky to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds". courant.com. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  7. ^ Ratke, Kyle (September 20, 2019). "Roster Review: Napheesa Collier". NBA Media Ventures. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Napheesa Collier Named 2019 WNBA Rookie of the Year" (Press release). NBA Media Ventures. September 16, 2019. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  9. ^ Borzi, Pat (September 6, 2019). "'Nothing more you can ask of her': Why the Lynx's Naphessa Collier should be the WNBA's rookie of the year". MinnPost. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  10. ^ Andrews, Julian (September 11, 2019). "Napheesa Collier Named AP Rookie Of The Year" (Press release). NBA Media Ventures. and Andrews, Julian (September 10, 2019). "Napheesa Collier Wins espnW's Rookie Of The Year" (Press release). NBA Media Ventures. Retrieved September 12, 2019. and "Minnesota's Napheesa Collier Named 2019 WNBA Rookie of the Year" (Press release). NBA Media Ventures. September 16, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  11. ^ Brendon Kleen (2020-08-07). "A'ja Wilson And Napheesa Collier Will Highlight The WNBA's Younger Generation With Their New Podcast". Uproxx. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  12. ^ Negley, Cassandra (2021-05-21). "WNBA tea: A'ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier's candid hit podcast returns for in-season look at WNBA life". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  13. ^ "A'ja Wilson And Candace Parker Unanimously Selected To 2020 All-WNBA First Team - WNBA". www.wnba.com. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  14. ^ "All-Defensive Teams - WNBA". www.wnba.com. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  15. ^ Sun, Leo (2021-06-30). "Sylvia Fowles and Napheesa Collier Named 2021 All-Stars". Canis Hoopus. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  16. ^ "Napheesa Collier to make 2022 debut after birth of daughter". Just Women's Sports. 7 August 2022. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  17. ^ MitchellHansen (2023-09-25). "'She's Going to be an MVP' — Napheesa Collier Takes Next Step to Lead Lynx in 2023". Canis Hoopus. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  18. ^ Tribune, Kent Youngblood Star. "Napheesa Collier ready for role as new Lynx captain: Leader, teacher, star". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  19. ^ a b "Minnesota Lynx Forward Napheesa Collier Named WNBA All-Star Reserve". Minnesota Lynx. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  20. ^ Ariail, Cat (2023-10-16). "The definitive players of the 2023—Breanna Stewart, A'ja Wilson and Alyssa Thomas—were unanimous All-WNBA selections". Swish Appeal. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  21. ^ "Minnesota Lynx Forward Napheesa Collier Named to WNBA All-Defensive Second Team". Minnesota Lynx. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  22. ^ "25th Anniversary". Minnesota Lynx. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  23. ^ "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  24. ^ "Lynx Forward Napheesa Collier Named Western Conference Player of the Week". Minnesota Lynx. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  25. ^ Across the Timeline (June 14, 2024). "Collier first WNBA player in history with this stat line". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  26. ^ Hansen, Mitchell (June 14, 2024). "New Lynx record for Collier". X.com (formerly Twitter). Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  27. ^ Women Hooping (2024-06-25). MVP Napheesa Collier Tries To Give Her Award To Teammate! | WNBA Commissioner's Cup, Minnesota Lynx. Retrieved 2024-06-26 – via YouTube.
  28. ^ "Napheesa Collier Is A Champion In France". Minnesota Lynx. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  29. ^ Tribune, Marcus Fuller Star. "Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride plan to play together in Turkey as Lynx make offseason plans". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  30. ^ Nemchock, Eric (2023-10-17). "Fenerbahçe swaps Napheesa Collier for Natasha Howard ahead of EuroLeague Women Week 3". Swish Appeal. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  31. ^ Nemchock, Eric (2024-01-17). "Napheesa Collier is back with Fenerbahçe, and her eyes are set on helping the Turkish club win another EuroLeague Women title". Swish Appeal. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  32. ^ Nemchock, Eric (2024-04-15). "Thanks to selfless and efficient offense, Fenerbahçe is once again the EuroLeague Women champion". Swish Appeal. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  33. ^ "Collier lights it up as Fenerbahce fly past Villeneuve to claim consecutive titles". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  34. ^ Connolly, Daniel (2023-07-07). "Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier are starting a women's basketball league". The UConn Blog. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  35. ^ "Basketball COLLIER Napheesa - Tokyo 2020 Olympics". Archived from the original on 2021-07-26. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  36. ^ Wallace, Ava (August 8, 2021). "Dawn Staley and Sue Bird make sure their final USA Basketball moment is golden". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  37. ^ "USA women's Olympic basketball roster: A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart headline 2024 U.S. team for Paris | Sporting News". www.sportingnews.com. 2024-06-09. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  38. ^ Collier, Napheesa (September 23, 2019). "One of the 144". The Players’ Tribune. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  39. ^ Mizoguchi, Karen. "Napheesa Collier Is Pregnant! WNBA Star and Fiancé Alex Bazzell Expecting First Child, a Baby Girl". People. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  40. ^ Slater, Georgia. "WNBA's Napheesa Collier and Fiancé Alex Bazzell Welcome First Baby, Daughter Mila: 'So In Love'". people.com. People. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  41. ^ Vanoni, Maggie (2022-10-08). "Former UConn women's basketball star Napheesa Collier marries longtime partner Alex Bazzell". CT Insider. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  42. ^ "Napheesa Collier, WNBA". EcoAthletes. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  43. ^ a b c d e Longman, Jeré (March 27, 2017). "UConn Forward Feels the Pull of the Family Name". The New York Times. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
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