Napheesa Collier Named to WNBA All-Defensive Second Team
Published on September 29, 2020 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Minnesota Lynx News Release
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL - The WNBA today announced that Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier has been selected to the league's All-Defensive Second Team for 2020. This is the first such honor for Collier, who received a total of 30 points (three First Team votes, five Second Team votes) in voting by the WNBA's 12 head coaches. She becomes the fifth Lynx player to be named to one of the All-Defensive Teams, joining Nicky Anosike, Rebekkah Brunson, Sylvia Fowles and Maya Moore.
Collier started every game for Minnesota in 2020, averaging 16.1 points, 9.0 rebounds (third in the WNBA), 3.3 assists, 1.82 steals (third) and 1.27 blocks per game (sixth) to become the fifth player in league history to average at least 9.0 rpg, 1.50 spg and 1.00 bpg in a season. That group includes Lisa Leslie (1998, 2006), Yolanda Griffith (1999, 2000, 2001), Tamika Catchings (2007) and Candace Parker (2012, 2015).
Collier was the Lynx' top rebounder in 13 of 22 games and registered seven point/rebound double-doubles. She also collected multiple steals and multiple blocks in the same game on five occasions, tying Las Vegas forward (and 2020 league MVP) A'ja Wilson for the most such performances by any player this season. Collier swiped a career-high four steals twice (Aug. 7 vs. Indiana, Aug. 21 vs. Phoenix) and was credited with a career-best four blocks in the Aug. 1 win vs. Connecticut. She also snared a career-high 14 rebounds on two occasions (Aug. 13 vs. Las Vegas, Sept. 4 vs. Dallas).
In the 2020 Playoffs, Collier led Minnesota in rebounding three times in four games, capped by a 22-point, 15-rebound, three-block effort vs. Seattle on Sept. 27. She opened the semifinal series with 25 points, nine rebounds and a playoff club-record six blocks against the Storm on Sept. 22. Five of those blocks occurred in the fourth quarter, tying a WNBA Playoff record initially set by Phoenix center Brittney Griner in 2014.
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from September 29, 2020
- A'ja Wilson Named to WNBA All-Defensive Second Team - Las Vegas Aces
- Williams and Laney Land All-Defensive First Team Honors - Atlanta Dream
- Ariel Atkins Named to WNBA All-Defensive Second Team - Washington Mystics
- Two Atlanta Dream Players and Seattle Storm's Alysha Clark Headline 2020 WNBA All-Defensive Team - WNBA
- Napheesa Collier Named to WNBA All-Defensive Second Team - Minnesota Lynx
- Los Angeles' Nneka Ogwumike Wins 2020 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award - WNBA
- Last Week around the Leagues - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
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