Napheesa Collier Shoots Down Unrivaled Conflict Allegations Amidst MVP Campaign

The 2025 WNBA season is roughly 40% of the way over, and a few clear patterns have emerged. Last year’s finalists New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx look like the class of the WNBA so far. Defending MVP A’ja Wilson is still an unstoppable force on both ends, but it seems like her turn to pass the MVP buck. Reigning DPOY Napheesa Collier is coming for that crown and having the best year of her career.

The Minnesota Lynx captain has been on a tear thus far in 2025. Through seven weeks of WNBA action, Napheesa Collier is averaging 24.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. She is making a career high 52.5% of her field goals on the highest shooting volume of her career (17.3 fga/game). She is also maintaining her DPOY level of play from last year as the Lynx lead the league with a 15-2 record.

Despite their loss in the Commissioner’s Cup final, the Lynx will be looked at as prohibitive favorites at this point. Their rotation has efficient guards like Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride and Natasha Hiedeman. They also have a loaded frontcourt that seems better equipped to stop Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart than last year. Head coach Cheryl Reeve will doubtless be looking to avenge last year’s controversial loss.

Amidst all this contention talk, however, WNBA fans found a way to discredit and undermine how good a year Napheesa Collier has been having. They are doing this not on the basis of her on-court production or play, but her off-court responsibilities. Collier is one of the WNBPA Vice Presidents alongside Breanna Stewart who will negotiate on behalf of the players for the next Collective Bargaining Agreement.

A section of WNBA Twitter seems to believe the duo, who are also Unrivaled cofounders, have a conflict of interest and may not have the best interests of their peers at heart. This notion was promptly struck down by Collier with a tweet:

So let me get this straight…. While everyone else was enjoying fireworks, you were thinking about how me and & Stewie of all people are conspiring to force a lockout that would result in less money year-round for WNBA players??