The 2025 WNBA regular season has officially wrapped up, and with the postseason right around the corner, conversations are heating up across the league. Fans aren’t just debating who will lift the championship trophy, but also which superstar will walk away with the league’s most coveted individual honor: the MVP award.
At the center of that conversation are two dominant forces: reigning MVP A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier. Following the Lynx’s 72-53 win over the Golden State Valkyries on September 11, Collier’s case just got a major boost from her head coach.
Why Does Cheryl Reeve Believe Napheesa Collier Deserves MVP?
During the postgame press conference on September 11, Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve didn’t mince words when highlighting Collier’s remarkable campaign. The Lynx forward not only delivered 19 points in Thursday’s win, but also made WNBA history as just the second player ever to record a 50-40-90 shooting season.
“It’s only been done once before, and that player was the MVP of the league… Phee deserves that recognition. The numbers don’t lie…. She did it from start to finish, 50/40/90 is historic. I don’t know how long it will be before it happens again. Napheesa Collier has been the best player in the WNBA this season. She deserves MVP,” said Reeve during the postgame interview.
Collier’s efficiency stands out even more given her scoring load. She knocked down 53.1% of her field goal attempts and connected on 40.3% of her three-pointers while averaging a career-best 22.9 points per game. These numbers place her in exclusive company, as she became the first player to achieve the 50-40-90 feat while averaging more than 20 points per contest.
While Elena Delle Donne achieved the 50-40-90 feat back in 2019, Collier is the first to do so while carrying such a heavy scoring burden, which places her in an entirely new category of offensive dominance.
real recognize real. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/aUTraNlLFu
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) September 12, 2025
Reeve’s passionate support for her star player doesn’t come as a surprise. After all, she has been central to Collier’s rise since the Lynx selected her with the sixth overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft. Having been at the helm in Minnesota since 2010, Reeve has overseen Collier’s growth from a promising rookie into one of the league’s premier two-way players.
Collier has already piled up five All-Star selections and was named the 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. For Reeve, Collier’s MVP candidacy represents not just impressive numbers, but the culmination of years of hard work and development.
Well… of course it’s Phee 👑
Napheesa Collier is your 2024 Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year!#KiaDPOY | @Kia pic.twitter.com/9dKNkERJYc
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 29, 2024
However, while Collier has made history, the race is far from one-sided. Wilson has once again powered the Las Vegas Aces to new heights and has led them on an extraordinary 15-game winning streak, which tied the third-longest in league history. Her dominance has been the driving force behind Las Vegas’ late-season surge.
Moreover, Wilson sits atop the league in scoring with 23.4 points per game and remains the premier rim protector with 2.3 blocks per contest. The three-time champion has also tallied more 20-point and 30-point double-doubles than any other player this year, underscoring her ability to take over games on both ends of the floor.
A’ja Wilson tonight 🔥
• 23 points
• 19 REBOUNDS
• 4 assists
• 4 blocks
• 2 steals
• 3/3 3PM
• 9/17 FGpic.twitter.com/yiHLnYnIPT
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) September 12, 2025
As the postseason approaches and anticipation builds, the MVP debate continues to intensify. Both Collier and Wilson have presented undeniable cases for the award through their exceptional play and leadership. While Collier brings historic efficiency and two-way excellence to the league’s best team, Wilson offers scoring dominance and clutch performances that have propelled the Aces’ championship pursuit.
