MINNEAPOLIS — Congratulations to former Incarnate Word star Napheesa Collier!
The now forward for the Minnesota Lynx was named WNBA Rookie of the Year! Collier was selected as the 2019 Rookie of the Year by a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. She was named on 29 of the 43 ballots.
“We are so proud that Napheesa was named the 2019 WNBA Rookie of the Year,” said Lynx Head Coach and General Manager Cheryl Reeve. “She recorded one of the best rookie seasons ever, boasting an incredibly efficient stat line every time she played. She was not only one of the most efficient scorers in the league, her defensive performance ranked near the top of the entire league and was one of the best seasons ever for a rookie. Napheesa’s rookie campaign was a model of consistency rarely demonstrated by first-year players and simply put, we were a better team with her on the court.”
Collier is the fourth Lynx player to earn Rookie of the Year.
According to a release on the Lynx website, Collier wrapped up her debut season in the WNBA as the fifth rookie in franchise history to start every game, averaging 13.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.91 spg and 0.94 bpg while leading the league in minutes played (33.3 mpg). Collier finished her rookie campaign shooting 49.0% from the field, 36.1% from three-point range and 79.2% from the free throw line and ranked among the league’s top 40 overall in all nine major statistical categories.
She also became the fourth player in WNBA history to finish a season with at least 400 points, 200 rebounds, 75 assists, 50 steals, 25 blocks and 25 made three-pointers, joining Maya Moore, Tamika Catchings and Sheryl Swoopes.
“It’s such an honor to be named this year’s Rookie of the Year,” said Collier. “So many great players have won this award in the past and I’m excited to join that list. I’ve been lucky to be put in such a great situation here in Minnesota and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
Highlights from Collier’s 2019 season include a season-high 27 points on May 25 vs. Chicago, the second-highest total ever for any player in their WNBA debut. The University of Connecticut product ended the year by scoring 10-plus points in each of her final 15 games, the third-longest rookie double-figure scoring streak in Lynx history.
Collier was also named the Associated Press WNBA Rookie of the Year.
