The 2026-2027 WNBA season has been a turning level for the league.
Teams like the Indiana Fever and Dallas Wings are establishing robust identities and sitting atop the standings.
Meanwhile, the groups of yesteryear, resembling the Seattle Storm and Connecticut Sun, have fallen to the backside of the standings. The league has seen a surge of younger expertise take over this season, together with Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark and Sonia Citron. All of whom have helped push their workforce right into a playoff spot, as the league presently sits.
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Rookie Rarity
However, the brightest younger star of all of them could also be Olivia Miles. The No. 2 total choose in the 2026 WNBA Draft is the engine behind the Minnesota Lynx’s 13-4 start this season, a file that has put them first in the league.
The rookie is averaging 18.5 factors per sport, 4.9 rebounds per sport and 5.6 assists per sport on 53% from the area. She presently sits as a darkish horse MVP candidate based on an article from the league’s website, behind different children Bueckers and Clark.
Front Office Finds
The Lynx’s hot start could also be thought-about stunning to some, contemplating all they misplaced in the offseason. Yet head coach Cheryl Reeve and the entrance workplace made calculated strikes which have helped them succeed this 12 months.
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After ending 34-10 and shedding to the Phoenix Mercury in the playoffs final season, the Lynx’s roster wanted a shakeup. The impending CBA negotiations, growth draft, slew of free brokers, and an harm to star Napheesa Collier, meant the identification of the 2020s Lynx can be modified.
Longtime ahead Bridget Carlton was chosen No. 1 total by the Portland Fire in the growth draft, and each Jessica Shepard and Alanna Smith left for Dallas, leaving the Lynx with out ahead depth headed into the season.
To fight that, they signed former Wings and Liberty star Natasha Howard to a two-year $1.45 million deal to play alongside Collier as soon as wholesome. They additionally inked journeywoman Nia Coffey to a two-year deal.
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Both Howard and Coffey are having profession seasons in Minnesota, averaging 17.3 PPG and 9.2 PPG, respectively. Both girls are averaging over six RPG, and Howard is +4000 to win Defensive Player of the Year.
The Lynx additionally misplaced two key guards this previous offseason: Natisha Heideman and DiJonai Carrington. The latter was a commerce deadline acquisition final season to assist support in the playoffs and was unlikely to re-sign. She left for the Chicago Sky however has but to play as a consequence of harm.
Heideman was the workforce’s microwave off the bench final season, ending second in Sixth Player of the Year voting. She would have probably performed the similar function this season, however left for Seattle beneath an enormous contract.
Since coming into the league, Miles has been every thing the Lynx may have hoped for and extra. She has mitigated the harm of shedding Carrington and Heideman. Along with the elite contributions of longtime Lynx Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams, the workforce has undoubtedly exceeded expectations to start the season.
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A Defense Unlike Many Others
The Lynx’s calling card for the previous couple of years has been protection. Smith and Collier particularly have excelled in that realm, as each girls have gained the Defensive Player of the Year award in the previous.
This season, their protection is not any completely different. According to Fox Sports’ advanced stats, Coffey, Howard, Miles and Williams are 4 of the prime 5 gamers in defensive ranking. McBride sits simply on the cusp of the prime 10.
As a workforce, the Lynx are solely behind Golden State for the fewest opponent PPG, with 79.6.
How The Lynx Can Continue Blossoming
As the midpoint of the season approaches, the Lynx don’t really want to alter a lot. Williams and Howard present constant scoring manufacturing, making them the gamers to lean on. Miles remains to be a bit inconsistent in scoring the ball. However, her excessive peaks and playmaking capability are the causes the offense is flowing so effectively.
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The Lynx’s entrance workplace has seemingly proven easy methods to retool a roster and nonetheless achieve success, and they are going to be the blueprint for different groups to look at as the new CBA takes impact.
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