As a young girl in Jefferson City, Missouri, Napheesa Collier’s basketball dreams took flight when she first picked up a ball. But those dreams were nearly grounded before they even left the launchpad. When Collier tried to join her local Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team, she was told it was “full” and was effectively barred from trying out.
With her spirit hanging in the balance, she watched from the sidelines as teammates were chosen. Until her parents formed a new squad, the Lady Warriors. Just to ensure she would not be left behind. It was a turning point that could have disrupted a legend in the making. Instead, it propelled her to heights few could have imagined.
How Napheesa Collier Defied Rejection to Become a Defensive Dynamo
After dominating at Jefferson City High School, where she averaged 17.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game as a senior, Collier faced another crucial decision. Where to play college ball?
Though UConn had just won three straight championships (2013, 1014, 2015), Collier’s original aspiration was to beat the Huskies rather than join them. Yet a campus visit soon changed her mind.
Under coach Geno Auriemma, she evolved into a two-way force. Over four seasons (2015–2019), she amassed 2,097 points and 1,166 rebounds, ranking third and fourth in school history, respectively. Her senior year culminated in averages of 20.8 points and 10.8 rebounds. This helped in securing her a spot in UConn’s exclusive 2,000-point/1,000-rebound club alongside Maya Moore, Tina Charles, Breanna Stewart, and Rebecca Lobo.
She earned two First-Team All-American nods (2017, 2019) and the 2019 Katrina McClain Award as the nation’s top power forward. Along with that, she also led the Huskies to four consecutive Final Fours and a 2016 national title.
All this might not have happened if Collier’s parents didn’t make their own basketball team back home.
Recalling the moment, the four-time WNBA All-Star told The Players’ Tribune, “My parents reached out, but the team wasn’t interested. They wouldn’t even let me try out. It was just a, No, we’re full. Sorry ’bout it. For plenty of young girls, that might have been where basketball ended. There just weren’t many other options to grow as a player where I was from.”
She credited her parents’ determination in ensuring the viability of their daughter’s dream and future. “But my parents? They weren’t having it. Instead, we just started on our own damn team. We were called the Lady Warriors. Fierce name, right? Well, to be accurate, first we were the Red Storm, then we switched to the Lady Warriors. Whatever, doesn’t matter. We had a team!”
Napheesa Collier in 2019: “When I first started really getting into basketball, I wanted to try out for the only AAU team they had in Jefferson City, where I’m from in Missouri. It’s a pretty small town, so there weren’t a lot of options when it came to finding competitive teams… pic.twitter.com/QyHka3qM3Q
— The Players’ Tribune (@PlayersTribune) June 3, 2025
Despite her decorated collegiate résumé, Collier’s WNBA journey almost bypassed her second chance. In the 2019 Draft, the Minnesota Lynx selected her with the sixth overall pick—a slot that felt both validating and precarious. She repaid the faith almost immediately.
In her debut game against the Chicago Sky, Collier exploded for 27 points. This marked the second-highest scoring by a WNBA rookie debut ever. Trailing only Candace Parker. By the season’s end, she became only the second rookie in league history (after Tamika Catchings) to record 400+ points, 200+ rebounds, and 60+ steals in a single year.
For her efforts, she swept Rookie of the Year honors from the Associated Press, ESPNW, and the WNBA itself. She also bagged a spot on the All-Rookie Team and her first All-Star selection.
Collier’s impact isn’t confined to the WNBA. She played key roles for Team USA in both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics. There, she bagged gold medals each time, making it look like a child’s play. Overseas, she has added further hardware to her trophy case. A Turkish Super League championship (2024) and a EuroLeague title with Fenerbahçe the same year, where she was named MVP.
From “No Tryouts” to Top of the League: Napheesa Collier’s Unlikely Rise
Off the hardwood, Collier’s three-year, $552,516 maximum extension deal with the Lynx became the talk of the town. Averaging $184,172 per season and guaranteeing her stay in Minnesota through 2025, it included a base salary of $214,284 in the 2025 campaign.
This deal ranks her among the highest-paid WNBA forwards, reflecting her status as both a team cornerstone and a marketing juggernaut.
MORE: Napheesa Collier’s WNBA Contract and Career Earnings: What Is the Minnesota Lynx Star’s Salary?
Nearly a decade ago, when a local AAU coach flatly told Collier that her team was full, it would have been easy for a young athlete to accept defeat. Today, she stands as one of the most feared defenders and versatile forwards in women’s basketball.
“Before long, we were competing at national AAU tournaments and making a name for ourselves. And remember that first team? The one I asked to try out for? Well, they even offered me a spot,” she said.
“But nah … I was good. I had to stay loyal to my squad,” Collier told The Players’ Tribune, emphasizing how having the determination to hold onto one’s dream definitely turns the odds in one’s favor.
Meanwhile, two weeks into the 2025 WNBA season, the Lynx stood undefeated at 8–0, after defeating the Phoenix Mercury by 88-65 on June 3. Against the Mercury on Tuesday (June 3), Collier recorded an 18-point, 11-rebound, 5-assist effort against Phoenix, further cementing her status as a two-way stalwart.
Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx start the season 8-0 for just the 4th time in franchise history 🐺
Of the previous 3 times they started a season 8-0, they made the WNBA Finals each time 👀 pic.twitter.com/RKVD9VNplk
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 4, 2025
Over her first seven games, she posted averages of 26.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks per contest. On May 28, she was named Western Conference Player of the Week after averaging 29.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists over the initial four-game span.
Closer to home, in 2025, Collier co-founded the Unrivaled league alongside Breanna Stewart and captured its 1-on-1 MVP crown—banking $200,000 in prize money while spotlighting her willingness to adapt and innovate within women’s basketball.
From the moment a local AAU coach told her, “We’re full,” to leading Minnesota atop the 2025 standings, Collier’s story serves as a living testament that barriers are often illusions—and that true greatness is forged in the crucible of early setbacks.
