Napheesa Collier facts for kids
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Collier with the Minnesota Lynx in 2024
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| No. 24 – Minnesota Lynx | |||||||||||||||||
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| Power forward | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | September 23, 1996 Jefferson City, Missouri, U.S. |
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| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 173 lb (78 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| College | UConn (2015–2019) | ||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2019 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall | ||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Minnesota Lynx | |||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2019–present | ||||||||||||||||
| League | WNBA | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
| 2019–present | Minnesota Lynx | ||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Lattes-Montpellier | ||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Fenerbahçe | ||||||||||||||||
| 2025–present | Lunar Owls BC | ||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Napheesa Collier (pronounced nə-FEE-sə KOL-yər; born September 23, 1996), also known as "Phee", is an American professional basketball player. She plays for the Minnesota Lynx in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Napheesa also helped start a new basketball league called Unrivaled with fellow player Breanna Stewart.
Before joining the WNBA, Napheesa played college basketball for the University of Connecticut Huskies. The Lynx picked her as the 6th player overall in the 2019 WNBA draft. She has won two Olympic gold medals with the United States women's national basketball team. These wins were at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 games. She is also a leader on the Women's National Basketball Players Association executive committee.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
When Napheesa was young, she wanted to play basketball. The only team in her hometown wouldn't let her join. So, her parents created a new team called the Lady Warriors. They found girls from other towns to play. The Lady Warriors even played in a national tournament! The first team later asked her to join, but she stayed with her Lady Warriors.
In her first year of high school, Napheesa played for Jefferson City High School. She scored about 18 points and grabbed nearly 10 rebounds per game. For her second year, she moved to Incarnate Word Academy. There, she averaged an amazing 24.6 points and 12 rebounds. Napheesa also ran track in high school. She was named the Gatorade Missouri Player of the Year in 2013 and 2015. She was also a finalist for the national Naismith Award in 2015.
College Career at UConn
Napheesa had an amazing college career at UConn. By the end, she was 3rd in points, 4th in rebounds, and 7th in blocks for the school. She started 112 games in a row, which is 4th most at UConn. She also had 49 "double-doubles" (scoring double-digits in two different stats). In her senior year, she averaged a double-double with 20.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.
Napheesa became only the fifth player in UConn history to reach 2000 points and 1000 rebounds. She joined famous UConn players like Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart. She reached 1000 rebounds against Louisville and 2000 points in the very next game. She was part of the 2016 Connecticut Huskies team that won the national championship. Her team made it to the Final Four in all four of her college years.
In her senior year, she won the Katrina McClain Award for being the best Power Forward. She was also named a First-Team All-American twice. Napheesa holds the UConn record for most rebounds in a single season (411). She also had the second-most points in a season (792), just behind Maya Moore.
Professional Career
Minnesota Lynx (2019–present)
2019 Season: Rookie of the Year
The Minnesota Lynx chose Napheesa as the 6th pick in the 2019 WNBA draft. In her very first WNBA game, she scored 27 points. This was the second-highest debut score for any rookie ever! She played more minutes per game (33.3) than any other WNBA player that year.
Napheesa was only the second rookie in WNBA history to get over 400 points, 200 rebounds, and 60 steals. She was also the fourth player ever to have a season with 400 points, 200 rebounds, 75 assists, 50 steals, 25 blocks, and 25 three-pointers. She was named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team. She also became an All-Star when another player got injured.
For the season, Napheesa averaged 13.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.9 blocks. She was named the WNBA Rookie of the Year by ESPNW, Associated Press, and the WNBA.
2020 Season: Playing in the Bubble
In 2020, the WNBA season was played in a "bubble" due to the pandemic. During this time, Napheesa started a podcast with A'ja Wilson called Tea with A & Phee. She was chosen for the All-WNBA Second Team and the All-Defensive Second Team for the first time.
2021 Season: Another All-Star Year
Napheesa was selected for her second All-Star game in 2021.
2022 Season: Becoming a Mom
Napheesa took time off for most of the 2022 season because she had her daughter in May 2022. She returned to play for the Lynx in August 2022 for four games. She wanted to play one more time with Sylvia Fowles, who was retiring after that season.
2023 Season: Strong Comeback
Napheesa came back even stronger in 2023. She had an amazing season and became the Lynx's new captain. In a game on June 29, 2023, she became only the second WNBA player ever to get 30+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and 5+ blocks in one game. She had 31 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 blocks! She was an All-Star for the third time. She was also chosen for the All-WNBA First Team and the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team.
2024 Season: Defensive Player of the Year
Napheesa started the 2024 season making history. She was the first player in the league to score at least 115 points, get 50 rebounds, 25 or more steals and blocks, and 20 assists in any five-game stretch. She was named Western Conference Player of the Week multiple times. In a game on June 14, 2024, she became the first WNBA player to have 30+ points, 8+ steals, 5+ rebounds, and 2+ blocks in a game. Her eight steals set a new Lynx team record. Napheesa also won the MVP award when the Lynx won the 2024 WNBA Commissioner's Cup championship.
After the Olympic break, she kept playing at an MVP level. In an August 23, 2024, game, she had 18 rebounds, which was more than the entire opposing team! She became only the third WNBA player to do this. Her performance in that game also made her the first WNBA player to have 25+ points, 15+ rebounds, and 5+ assists while shooting over 70%.
After the regular season, she was named the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and was also chosen for the WNBA All-Defensive First Team. She was the runner-up for the WNBA MVP award. Maya Moore, a Lynx legend, said about Napheesa, "I can tell that she's hitting her prime, and the sky's the limit for her."
2024 Playoffs
In the first game of the 2024 WNBA playoffs, Napheesa scored 38 points. This made her the second player in Lynx history to have multiple 30+ point games in the playoffs. In the second game, she scored 42 points! This tied the WNBA playoffs record for most points in a single game. She also set a WNBA record for most points in the first two games of a playoff series (80 points). She was the first WNBA player to score 35+ points in two playoff games in a row.
Finals
In Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, Napheesa became the first WNBA player to get 20+ points, 8+ rebounds, 6+ blocks, and 3+ steals in a playoff game. In Game 3, she broke a 15-year record for most points in a single postseason, scoring 249 points in 10 games. By the end of the finals, she was the first player to lead a single playoff run in points (285), rebounds (107), steals (25), and blocks (23). She also broke another record for most steals and blocks combined in postseason play (48).
Playing Overseas
Napheesa also plays basketball in other countries during the WNBA off-season.
- In 2021, she played for Lattes-Montpellier in France. Her team won the Coupe De France Finale.
- In 2023, she played for Fenerbahçe in Turkey. She was named the Most Valuable Player in the SuperCup Women championship. She returned to the team in 2024. Her team won the EuroLeague Women championship in April 2024. Napheesa scored 33 points in the final game, which was the second-highest ever.
Starting Unrivaled
In July 2023, Napheesa and Breanna Stewart announced they were starting a new professional women's basketball league called Unrivaled. This league will give WNBA players a chance to play and earn money during the WNBA off-season, instead of having to play overseas. The league is expected to start in 2025. It will feature 30 players in a 3-on-3 or 1-on-1 format. The first season will be from January to March in Miami. Napheesa will play for the Lunar Owls in this new league.
National Team Career
In June 2021, Napheesa was chosen to play for the United States women's national basketball team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. It was her first time on an Olympic team. She and Team USA won the gold medal, beating Japan 90–75 in the final game.
Napheesa was again chosen for the Olympic team for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. She and the United States team defeated France 67–66 in the final. This earned Napheesa her second gold medal in a row. It was also the United States' eighth gold medal in a row!
Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| TO | Turnovers per game | FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| Bold | Career high | ° | League leader | ||||
| * | Means Napheesa won an NCAA championship this season. |
WNBA Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Minnesota | 34 | 34 | 33.3 | .490 | .361 | .792 | 6.6 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 1.9 | 13.1 |
| 2020 | Minnesota | 22 | 22 | 34.2 | .523 | .408 | .829 | 9.0 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 16.1 |
| 2021 | Minnesota | 29 | 29 | 34.6 | .441 | .253 | .860 | 6.6 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 16.2 |
| 2022 | Minnesota | 4 | 4 | 22.8 | .423 | .286 | .714 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 7.3 |
| 2023 | Minnesota | 37 | 37 | 33.5 | .485 | .298 | .840 | 8.5 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 21.5 |
| 2024 | Minnesota | 34 | 34 | 34.7 | .492 | .310 | .804 | 9.7 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 20.4 |
| Career | 6 years, 1 team | 160 | 160 | 33.7 | .483 | .321 | .821 | 7.9 | 2.9 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 17.4 |
| All-Star | 4 | 0 | 9.1 | .458 | .200 | 1.000 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 6.5 |
WNBA Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Minnesota | 1 | 1 | 38.0° | .727 | .333 | .500 | 10.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 19.0 |
| 2020 | Minnesota | 4 | 4 | 34.3 | .500 | .538 | .625 | 9.0 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 2.5° | 2.0 | 16.5 |
| 2021 | Minnesota | 1 | 1 | 35.0 | .273 | 1.000° | — | 4.0 | 2.0 | 3.0° | 0.0 | 4.0 | 8.0 |
| 2023 | Minnesota | 3 | 3 | 36.0 | .509 | .333 | .867 | 8.0 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 23.7 |
| 2024 | Minnesota | 12° | 12° | 38.8° | .525 | .414 | .847 | 9.0 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 23.8 |
| Career | 5 years, 1 team | 21 | 21 | 37.3 | .517 | .453 | .818 | 8.7 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 21.4 |
College Statistics
| Year | Team | Games Played | Points | FG% | 3P% | FT% | Rebounds Per Game | Assists Per Game | Steals Per Game | Blocks Per Game | Points Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16* | UConn | 38 | 258 | .533 | .154 | .917 | 5.2 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 6.8 |
| 2016–17 | UConn | 37 | 754 | .678 | .431 | .818 | 9.1 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 20.4 |
| 2017–18 | UConn | 37 | 597 | .583 | .344 | .786 | 7.4 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 16.1 |
| 2018–19 | UConn | 38 | 792 | .612 | .283 | .697 | 10.8 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 20.8 |
| Career | 150 | 2,401 | .601 | .303 | .804 | 8.1 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 16.1 |
Personal Life
Outside of basketball, Napheesa enjoys reading, especially mystery novels. In October 2019, she got engaged to Alex Bazzell, who is a basketball skills coach. In November 2021, they shared that they were expecting their first child. Their daughter, Mila Sarah Bazzell, was born on May 25, 2022. Napheesa and Alex got married in St. Louis on October 7, 2022.
Napheesa learned ASL (sign language) when she was growing up. A video in October 2024 showed her talking with a fan using ASL.
Napheesa's grandfather was Gershon Collier, a lawyer and ambassador from Sierra Leone. He helped Sierra Leone become independent from the United Kingdom in 1961. Her father, Gamal Collier, told the New York Times that he taught Napheesa the importance of being self-sufficient and responsible. Napheesa's father was also a professional boxer for a short time. During the WNBA season, he helps care for his granddaughter so Napheesa can rest.
Her younger brother, Kai, played football at Lindenwood University.
Images for kids
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Collier with the Minnesota Lynx in 2024
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Napheesa Collier, receiving awards for scoring 2000 points and grabbing 1000 rebounds.
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Napheesa Collier before Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals.
See also
In Spanish: Napheesa Collier para niños
