A new entrant has arrived in the conversation for the best player in the world, as Collier put herself at the table alongside Stewart and A’ja Wilson this season. Collier has a loaded individual resume like the others, including an NCAA title, Rookie of the Year award, four All-Star berths, two Olympic gold medals, and now a Defensive Player of the Year award. What she has been lacking is team success.
This is Collier’s chance to cement herself among the greats and prove that she can excel at the highest stages while carrying her team. During the four prior meetings in 2024, Collier’s box score stats didn’t jump off the page — she averaged 17.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game (significantly below Stewart’s 24.8 and 14.3, respectively) — but the Lynx got the job done. Collier’s movement on offense has a gravity that creates openings for teammates, even if she isn’t the direct beneficiary. That being said, she is on a streak of three straight games of at least 25 points and 10 rebounds — the first player to do so in WNBA postseason history. She can also blow up actions on the other end, defending a variety of positions and holding up against bigger players in the lane.
