The Guru’s WNBA Report: Collier Listed As Probable For Wednesday at Seattle; Rookie Fudd to Compete in All-Star 3-Point Contest

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

The WNBA was idle Tuesday night but Wednesday offers a busy six-game card bringing regular season action to a halt until next Tuesday with All-Star weekend ahead, the 3-point shooting and on Friday night at 8 p.m. on ESPN in Chicago from Wintrust Arena, home of the Sky and collegiate DePaul, followed by the summer attraction the next night at 8:30 p.m. on ABC from the NBA Bull’s United Center.

Wednesday’s highlight is the expected return of perennial MVP candidate Napheesa Collier, listed as probable by first-place Minnesota for their 3 p.m. game at Seattle, the second against the Storm in three days.

The Lynx at the top of the league has been one of the surprises of the season with Collier not playing since the playoffs after having surgeries on both ankles in January and March.

Minnesota has managed to make up the absence on the play of rookie sensation Olivia Miles, the central New Jersey native who was second overall in April’s draft behind Dallas’ pick of UConn’s Azzi Fudd.

It was almost a year ago before the break when Minnesota was rolling atop the league and blasted Las Vegas when Collier got hurt and missed almost all of August then returned only to get injured in the upset semifinals' loss to Phoenix.

The former UConn standout, who returned to practice July 1, is a five-time All-Star and a co-founder with New York’s Breanna Stewart, another former Huskies star, of the successful Unrivaled League in the winter, that has operated in two seasons.

The Lynx’ Cheryl Reeve, who along with Las Vegas’ Becky Hammon, will coach in Saturday’s game, told ESPN this month, Collier does not want any gingerly treatment when she returns.

“She doesn’t want a minute restriction, and she doesn’t want for people to expect less than greatness from her,” Reeve said. “That’s what makes great players great, no matter what the situation is.”

Her return couldn’t be more welcomed because while Minnesota has been rolling, the wins have been narrow high-scoring affairs besting the opposition on the perimeter trio of Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams and Miles, Reeve bemoaning the lack of defense from the Lynx.

In the other games being played Wednesday, New York, which beat fourth-place Dallas in overtime in Texas on Monday, will be looking for its second straight win, hosting Chicago at 7 p.m. on League Pass.

Indiana hosts Connecticut at 8 p.m. on USA Net, Los Angeles hosts Phoenix, both teams struggling below the eighth-place playoffs cut line, at 3 p.m. on League Pass, while Washington hosts defending champion Las Vegas at 7:30 p.m. on League Pass, and expansion Portland will host Dallas at 10 p.m. on USA Net and CNBC.

The standings race for berths and seeds is tight with a 4,5 a spread between the Lynx and Atlanta and Indiana, which are tied for fifth.

New York, which has lost 8 of 10 going into Monday, is seventh a half-game in front of Washington, which has a 2.5 lead on expansion Portland above the cut line.

Then there’s a 2.5 spread from the Fire to 13th place Phoenix, last season’s title runners up to the Aces, who won their third title in four seasons.

Fudd to Play in 3-Point All-Star Contest

Azzi Fudd, just the fourth rookie, will play in Friday’s 3-point contest at All-Star weekend, the WNBA announced Tuesday. Previous participants in first years in the league were Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell (2018), Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard (2022) and Washington’s Sonia Citron (2025).

The Dallas star will be joined by Howard, expansion Toronto’s Marina Mabrey, expansion Portland’s Bridget Carleton, Seattle’s Natasha Hiedeman, and Golden State’s Janelle Salaun.

No rookie has ever won, Howard the lone newcomer reaching the finals.

Invitations were issued to Indiana’s Caitlin Clark, who was going to participate last season with the event in her home arena but got hurt earlier in the week, New York’s Sabrina Ionescu, who won it, and Minnesota’s Kayla McBride, ESPN reported, but all three declined invitations.

There’s also a new Shooting Stars event, details to come later this week.

Saint Joseph’s Natasha Cloud, then with New York and now Chicago, won the Skills Challenge last season.

UPSHOT Update

The new four-team UPSHOT League, with cities in Jacksonville, Charlotte, Greensboro, and Savannah, with Baltimore and Nashville joining next season, is having a combo live and zoom presser Wednesday morning at 11 to announce plans for the championship, state of the league’s first season, and other items, with co-founder and commissioner Donna Orender, who was the second WNBA president, and Vice President of Basketball Operations Taj McWilliams as participants.

The event is likely to air on the league’s YouTube Channel, on which all games have been available free for viewing.