Lynx’s Napheesa Collier gets real about playing without Courtneyu Williams

The Minnesota Lynx were without one of their ace players in their marquee matchup with the Golden State Valkyries at Target Center on Monday, as Courtney Williams was sidelined by a foot injury.

Losing Williams gave the Lynx a real handicap, especially in a battle between the top two teams in the league.

The 32-year-old guard is averaging all-around numbers of 14.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.1 steals this season. She suffered the foot injury in their win over the Washington Mystics at CareFirst Arena on Friday.

Before the game, Napheesa Collier was asked about not having Williams against the Valkyries. Collier was quite candid with her reply.

“This is the first game she’s ever missed due to injury in 11 years. That’s incredible. That has to be a record. She was just out being suspended,” joked Collier in the video posted by Lynx reporter Andrew Dukowitz.

“It will definitely be weird. I’ve never played a game without Courtney since she’s been here.”

Napheesa Collier on playing her first game without Courtney Williams in three years

“Yeah this is the first game she’s ever missed due to injury in eleven years… has to be a record(laughs), she was just out being suspended(laughs)… it’ll definitely be weird I’ve never played… pic.twitter.com/hxNLjBUVBZ

— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) August 24, 2026

The five-time All-Star, however, turned serious when asked about Williams’ impact on the Lynx.

“Her energy, her vibes, her passion for the game. Obviously, she’s a big voice on our team. She gets us going. She’s very passionate about the game, and that rubs off on us,” added Collier.

Minnesota signed Williams in 2024. Before sitting out against Golden State, the three-time All-Star had not missed a game in four seasons.

She has teamed up with Olivia Miles to form arguably the most prolific backcourt in the WNBA. Her return, however, is still unclear.

As of this writing, the Lynx are trailing the Valkyries in the fourth quarter, putting their six-game winning streak in jeopardy.

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