Napheesa Collier has had a busy offseason to say the least.
She dropped the WNBA’s version of CM Punk’s pipebomb promo at her season-ending press conference. She’s been in active labor discussions with the WNBA brass to attempt to avoid a lockout. Collier has also been focused on the league she cofounded, Unrivaled’s second season, which starts on January 5, 2026. That’s just on the basketball side. She’s also a mother, a spouse, and a frequent advocate for social justice and women’s rights.
However, eagle-eyed fans may have noticed that Collier has frequently been in a CAM boot to stabilize her right ankle all offseason, which she injured in Game 4 of the semi-finals against the Phoenix Mercury. An injury that Collier disclosed included damage to the ligaments of her ankle, similar to the ankle injury she suffered to her left ankle earlier in the season in a blowout win over the Las Vegas Aces.
For most of the offseason, it could be assumed that she was recovering; however, on New Year’s Day, Collier again made headlines. She will be missing four to six months after undergoing dual ankle surgery.
Collier announced the injury on Instagram:
“I am heartbroken to share that I will miss this Unrivaled season. … I have fought hard over the last few months to be back with my Owls and was devastated to be told by my team of doctors that surgery was the best path forward.”
While Collier will miss the entire Unrivaled season, the four- to six-month timeline may also result in her missing time with the Lynx, depending on the upcoming CBA and when the season would begin. If it followed the same start timeframe as last season, the season would open in mid-May.
It hasn’t been disclosed what specific ankle surgery Collier is undergoing, but there are some breadcrumbs available to at least speculate what her status could be next season.
Collier suffered a “severe” ankle sprain against the Aces on August 2, which caused her to miss 3 weeks of action. It was never disclosed what the grade of the sprain was. However, due to the lingering nature of the injury and the fact that she is now having surgery, it’s safe to assume it was more severe than people thought.
As Collier stated, her left ankle injury was similar to her right ankle injury. It involved torn ligaments in the ankle, which likely means the left ankle and the right were grade 2 (partial tears), which were likely more on the severe side.
The fact that Collier has been in the CAM boot for most of the offseason suggests that the damage or tears did not progress and heal on their own, leaving open the potential for future injuries or long-term damage. That’s where the surgery comes in.
When ankles have been severely sprained or there is a recurrence, this can lead to joint and tendon instability. For most of us, that means we might feel our ankles click or pop, or, at worst, give out and maybe fall. For someone like Collier, the instability can make it nearly impossible for her to remain healthy long term, especially given her post play and how gifted she is as a defender.
Given Collier’s need for surgery, we can also consider the time frame to determine what she might have done. It’s likely not an Achilles injury, because those take closer to a year to recover. Likewise, an ankle reconstruction surgery also takes nearly a year to heal fully. Arthroscopic surgeries in which a small incision is made to repair minor tendon tears aren’t likely, because those minor surgeries rarely take more than 2 to 3 months to recover.
That leaves the likely case being some form of moderate tendon repair. Think of tendons like elastic bands. They stretch when the joint moves and help attach the muscles to the bones, so the leg moves. When a tear occurs, the band’s strength is compromised; each additional movement risks making the tear larger. Tendons and ligaments have little blood flow because of the cartilage they are made of, so they heal slowly, even if someone does everything they are supposed to and keeps the ankle immobile.
When a ligament doesn’t heal well, it can create scar tissue around the tears that, in some cases, never heal. That could be the case for Collier, for whom it’s possible to repair these ligaments and create patches thanks to modern medicine. This strengthens the joint and gives the cartilage a chance to heal further. These surgeries can take 4-6 months, and given the clues Collier has left us, it makes the most sense.
Realistically, missing unrivaled must be excruciating for Collier. It’s the league she founded in the second season and has grown exponentially in the last season.
However, Collier has always said her goal is to win a WNBA championship. While the surgeries may cause her to miss the beginning of the season, it will also ensure she’s healthy and her ankles are stable for the playoffs. With so much of the league up in the air, Collier’s injury adds to the uncertainty.
Still, for Lynx fans, it should signal that her goal hasn’t changed: Hanging a banner in the Target Center remains No. 1.
