Napheesa Collier

Having taken the floor for 465 of a possible 490 grueling postseason minutes and furthering her already-solidified case as one of the WNBA’s premier two-way greats, Napheesa Collier’s reward for her tireless energy seemed, in a way, meant to be. Picking perhaps the perfect time to deliver her postseason record-setting 247th points of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs, Collier, with the Minnesota Lynx clinging to a one-point fourth quarter lead, positions herself for an always-dynamic pick-and-roll alongside her confident floor general. Punishing the New York Liberty’s choice to stay attached to the perimeter, the Most Valuable Player runner-up slides into the paint freely, banking in a clutch bucket. The late-game layup helped Collier take hold of a single-postseason scoring record (245 points) that stood for 15 years. An untimely 28-foot buzzer-beater would ultimately provide the Liberty with the last laugh and a 2-1 series lead, but Collier — named to the All-WNBA First Team earlier that afternoon — projected superstar status once more on October 16, 2024. Found wherever the Lynx needed her most, Collier contributed a bit of everything, turning in 22 points, nine rebounds, two assists, five steals, and one block.