With the first couple weeks of the WNBA season now complete, several standout performances and emerging trends have captured attention across the league.
From individual breakout campaigns to strategic innovations, here are the five biggest takeaways from the season’s opening stretch:
Napheesa Collier’s MVP-caliber leap
Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier has elevated her game to another level, building on what was already an exceptional 2024 campaign. The most noticeable improvement in Collier’s arsenal has been her 3-point shooting, particularly on catch-and-shoot opportunities where she’s converting at an impressive 50 percent clip. This dramatic improvement from last year has forced opposing defenses to completely reconsider their game plans.
Teams that once conceded these perimeter looks to Collier are now paying dearly for that strategy. Her improved outside shooting has opened up deadly pick-and-roll chemistry with guard Courtney Williams, creating one of the most potent two-woman games in the association. However, the most significant development in Collier’s evolution has been her cutting ability and court awareness.
Her timing on backdoor cuts and angle cuts has become practically perfect,…
