Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier and New York Liberty icon Breanna Stewart have forged one of the league’s most compelling rivalries, a battle between two titans that defined last season’s championship.
Their head-to-head matchups are a masterclass in skill and strategy, but for Collier, there’s one part of facing Stewart that stands above the rest as uniquely challenging.
What Makes Facing Breanna Stewart So Frustrating?
The Lynx and the Liberty were the two best teams in the league during the 2024 season and proved that once again in the postseason, meeting in the WNBA Finals. The Liberty took down the Atlanta Dream in two games and the Las Vegas Aces in four games while the Lynx swept the Phoenix Mercury and then defeated the Connecticut Sun in five games to advance to the finals.
The championship series was a thriller, with four of the five games going to overtime or being decided by three points or fewer (the Liberty’s 14-point win in Game 2 being the only outlier). Despite Collier’s 22 points in Game 5, the Liberty escaped with a 67-62 overtime victory, sealing their championship.
Unfortunately for fans, Collier missed their matchup earlier this week, which saw the Liberty take home an 85-75 victory.
This season, Collier has the Lynx in contention once again at 29-7, the best record in the league. She is averaging 23.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.
Meanwhile, Stewart’s Liberty are 22-14, tied for fourth place in the league but only one game out of second place. Stewart is putting up 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
Napheesa Collier Discusses Her ‘Least Favorite Part’ of Facing Breanna Stewart
The two forwards are often matched up against one another, which adds another layer to this budding rivalry. Appearing on “Bird’s Eye View,” hosted by WNBA legend Sue Bird, Collier discussed the specific frustration that comes with trying to guard Stewart.
“My least favorite part, Stew’s a great player. You can play the best defense you want, and she’ll still make it,” Collier explained. “So that is sometimes frustrating cause I’m like, ‘Oh that’s good D I’m right there contesting,’ plop. She’ll make it.”
However, Collier admitted that Stewart’s elite talent makes getting a defensive stop feel that much more rewarding.
“I think the most fun part is honestly the same thing, same side of a different coin,” Collier said. “She’s so good when you do get a stop, you feel so good. Honestly, I feel like our games are really similar in the way we think and move. For me, I feel like a great defender when playing her because I feel like I know what she’s going to do.”
Of course, knowing what’s coming and stopping it are two different things. “Even if you contest, she’ll make it.”
Counting Sunday, August 24’s matchup against the Indiana Fever — sans Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham — the Lynx have eight games remaining in the regular season. While Collier doesn’t have any more games against Stewart and the Liberty, there’s always a chance they can meet in the Finals again.
