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WNBA Coach Breaks Silence After Player’s Unexpected Decision to Miss Entire Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Liz Lindain | Last updated May 12, 2025 7:10 PM ET

With the start of the WNBA regular season starting this upcoming week, teams are now finalizing their rosters.

News broke on Sunday that Minnesota Lynx forward Dorka Juhász will miss the entire 2025 WNBA season for personal reasons, which came as a surprise for many fans and analysts. According to CT Insider, Juhász decided to sit out to focus on rest because of her busy schedule with the WNBA season in the summer and her overseas work in the winter.

In a press conference after Monday's practice, Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve finally spoke about the situation to Andrew Dukowitz, a reporter for Zone Coverage.

"I mean, you find out just before the season, it’s obviously an unfortunate situation but you know, players make choices. (We’ll) deal with the hand,” Reeve explained.

Cheryl Reeve on Dorka Juhasz missing the season

“I mean you find out just before the season, it’s obviously an unfortunate situation but you know, players make choices. (We’ll) deal with the hand”#lynx pic.twitter.com/djUJiFhtYf
— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) May 12, 2025

The 6'5" forward from Hungary was selected 16th overall by the Lynx in the 2023 WNBA Draft. In her rookie season, she averaged 6.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, earning a spot on the WNBA All-Rookie Team. Previously, she played college basketball for Ohio State and UConn.

Her sophomore season with the Lynx saw a reduced role, with averages of 4.8 points and 3.8 rebounds over 16.1 minutes per game. She also plays overseas for Famila Basket Schio in Italy, contributing to their Italian Cup victory in February 2024.

The Minnesota Lynx concluded their 2025 preseason with a 1-1 record against the Chicago Sky. The Lynx will open their season against the Dallas Wings at College Park Center in Arlington, TX, on Friday.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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