The Minnesota Lynx are having a traditional revenge season.
After falling simply wanting the WNBA title in 2024, dropping in additional time of a do-or-die Sport 5 in opposition to the Liberty, Minnesota has seemed each bit a workforce on a mission this yr. For the close to entirety of the season, they’ve sat atop the standings and are nearly actually going to go into the playoffs because the No. 1 seed.
Napheesa Collier is probably going going to take residence regular-season MVP honors and, as issues stand, the Lynx are the present betting favorites to win the 2025 WNBA title. In nearly each sense, it’s your typical bounce-back season from an amazing workforce after narrowly lacking out on their objective.
The place issues deviate from typical, although, is that the Lynx are additionally within the working for the No. 1 decide within the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Sure, you learn that proper. Final April, Minnesota traded its 2025 first spherical decide to Chicago, used to pick Hailey Van Lith, in change for the Sky’s unprotected 2026 decide. Chicago, who additionally traded the No. 3 decide on this yr’s draft — which turned out to be Sonia Citron — for Ariel Atkins, has struggled mightily this season.
With Angel Reese sidelined for big parts of the season, Chicago at the moment sits at 8-24 and within the second spot within the lottery which implies, because it stands, Minnesota sits within the No. 2 spot within the lottery and the No. 1 spot within the standings.
There are additionally some particulars that have to be ironed out within the CBA to see simply how lifelike the possibilities are that the Lynx win the title and the No. 1 decide
Final season, the Valkyries, coming into their first yr within the league, drafted after the 4 lottery groups. Will the identical factor occur to Toronto and Portland, who will embark on their inaugural seasons in 2026? Equally, the chances for the upcoming draft lottery will differ from earlier years when solely 4 groups took half. That, too, must be finalized heading into subsequent April forward of the draft.
However this nonetheless does convey within the very lifelike risk that the Lynx win the WNBA title within the fall, then maintain the No. 1 decide within the draft subsequent spring. Phee might, conceivably, win the MVP, then welcome in a No. 1 decide for subsequent season.
Even setting apart the novelty of profitable a title and the No. 1 decide in the identical season, Minnesota is without doubt one of the league’s finest groups that can have a high decide subsequent summer season in a reasonably sturdy draft class. Nearly actually one among Azzi Fudd, Lauren Betts, Olivia Miles, Flau’Jae Johnson or another high prospect might be on the Lynx roster subsequent season.
It’s a terrific state of affairs for Minnesota, who look primed to be a contender within the current and whereas doubtlessly welcoming of their future on the similar time.
