Napheesa Collier doesn't have the loudest game.
She doesn't jump super-duper high or shoot from super-duper far or have the slickest handles on the planet.
But when you put the package together, the Minnesota Lynx superstar is one of the best players on the planet.
On the WNBA's opening night against Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings, Collier stole the show and made an early MVP statement.
Collier's final stat line tells quite the story:
- 34 points
- 12-21 FG
- 2-3 3FG
- 8-8 FT
- 4 rebounds
- 4 assists
- 32 minutes
- +28
Collier led all players in plus-minus, scoring and foul shooting as the Lynx won, 99-84.
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Now 28 years old, Collier enters the season coming off an impressive offseason with the founding of Unrivaled (and her success on the court in that new league).
She clearly was tuned up and ready for the opener. Even when she wasn't finding her shots early, she was getting to the line for eight first-half free throws.
From there, she found her usual openings with smoothness and grace to pull away from Bueckers and Arike Ognubowale in the second half.
There's a lot of season still to go, but the Lynx played the first game of the WNBA's 29th year. And one game in, there was no more valuable player than Collier.
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