MINNEAPOLIS, MN – October 15, 2024 – As the WNBA Finals heat up, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the league's Defensive Player of the Year, is focused on securing the franchise's first championship since 2017. With the series currently tied at one game apiece against the New York Liberty, Collier reflects on a transformative year while emphasizing the importance of living in the moment.
A Year
of Accomplishments
This
year has been monumental for the 28-year-old Collier. After earning her second
Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, she was named the WNBA’s
Defensive Player of the Year last month. Now, with only two wins needed to
clinch the championship, the stakes couldn't be higher.
“It’s
been really exciting,” Collier shared in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE
shortly after her return to Minneapolis ahead of Game 3 on Wednesday night.
“We’re just super locked in and ready to get back out there and play again.”
Despite
the accolades and the thrill of the Finals, Collier remains grounded,
attributing her focus to her personal journey. “It’s been a really crazy year,
but you really just take it one day at a time,” she explained. “I’m a really
in-the-moment kind of person.”
Commitment
to Reproductive Healthcare
In
addition to her on-court efforts, Collier is making headlines off the court as
well. Recently, she announced a partnership with Opill, the first
over-the-counter contraceptive pill available in the U.S. This collaboration
will see her travel to various college campuses, engaging students in
discussions about reproductive healthcare options.
“It’s
really important that [my daughter] has these options available,” Collier
noted. “And it’s so important to create dialogue around it. It’s sometimes
something that’s really awkward to talk about with people, which I don’t think
it should be. We should really be getting rid of that stigma.”
Collier,
who welcomed her daughter Mila in May 2022, aims to ensure that conversations
about healthcare and reproductive rights are accessible and open for future
generations.
Balancing
Motherhood and Athletics
Despite
her growing responsibilities, Collier finds joy in motherhood. However, she
admits that Mila struggles when she leaves for games. “I don’t think she really
understands what I do yet,” Collier said with a chuckle, adding that her
daughter recognizes game days by seeing her prepare in uniform. “She gets sad
because I’m leaving.”
As the
Lynx prepare for the final games of the WNBA Championship, the emotional stakes
are high. Collier finds comfort in the fact that no matter the outcome, her
daughter will always be waiting at home. “She’s absolutely the best part about
my day,” she smiled. “It really puts everything into perspective.”
Looking
Ahead
With the
championship on the line, all eyes are on the Lynx and their star player.
Whether or not they win, Collier’s dual role as an athlete and a mother serves
as a powerful reminder of what truly matters. As the finals unfold, fans can
expect to see her fierce determination on the court, coupled with the warmth of
a mother's love waiting at home.
By Sean
Neumann
Published on October 15, 2024
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