MINNEAPOLIS \u2014 As the WNBA hits the pause button for the 2026 FIBA Women\u2019s World Cup in Berlin, there will still be plenty of Lynx-adjacent basketball playing out on the world\u2019s stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lynx head coach and president of basketball operations Cheryl Reeve may be enjoying her first international \u2018break\u2019 in some time as Kara Lawson<\/a> has taken over the head coaching duties for USA Basketball, but Minnesota is sending a sizable contingent to Berlin. <\/p>\n A total of seven Lynx players will be with their national teams for the tournament: Chloe Bibby<\/a> (Australia), Napheesa Collier<\/a> (USA), Emma \u010cechov\u00e1<\/a> and Eliska Joklov\u00e1 (Czechia), Atonia Delaere (Belgium), Dorka Juh\u00e1sz<\/a> (Hungary), and the newly-signed development contract player Elena Buenavida<\/a> (Spain). \u010cechov\u00e1 is still rehabbing from the torn ACL she suffered in May, but will be present with Team Czechia for the duration of the tournament.\u00a0<\/p>\n Collier and Team USA<\/p>\n This was always going to be a difficult tournament for the Americans, who have long had a big bold \u2018X\u2019 marked across their backs by a strong group of international teams who would love nothing more than to knock them off their perch. A big challenge got even bigger with the news that Team USA will now be playing without back-to-back WNBA MVP and the leading scorer of the 2024 Olympics, A\u2019ja Wilson<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n No matter how you weave the story, there\u2019s no world in which missing a player of Wilson\u2019s caliber is a good thing. But if there\u2019s ever been a team suited to do it, it\u2019s this edition of USA Basketball. Both Collier and her fellow UConn legend Breanna Stewart<\/a> started alongside Wilson in the frontcourt to end all frontcourts at the \u201824 Olympics. Lawson could lean on one or both to slide over a spot to help fill the void. She\u2019ll also have plenty of options among the tournament newcomers in the Team USA frontcourt. Aliyah Boston<\/a>, Kiki Iriafen<\/a>, and Angel Reese<\/a> are all in the fold, making them one of the deepest and most versatile frontcourts in the tournament even without Wilson.\u00a0<\/p>\n For Collier specifically, it\u2019s a chance for the two-time Olympic gold medalist to add even more lines to her international basketball resume and continue ramping up for the WNBA Playoffs. Collier returned to the Lynx just before the All-Star break and has played in 12 games this season. As Collier rehabbed from multiple ankle surgeries before the start of the 2026 season, making it back in time to be part of the team representing USA Basketball in Berlin was a top priority.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was always a goal. I wanted to be able to make sure that I was back before they were making their selections and make sure that I felt good,\u201d Collier said to reporters after being named to the team in early August. \u201cIt was definitely a goal of mine to be on the team. I kept [USA Basketball] up to date throughout the whole thing; they were wishing me a healthy recovery, telling me to take my time, all those things, [we\u2019ve] just been in communication on how I\u2019m feeling and timeline on stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n This will be Collier\u2019s first time participating in the Women\u2019s World Cup. She missed the last time the tournament was held in 2022 after giving birth to her daughter, Mila.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you have the opportunity to play for your country with the best players in the world, it just means a lot,\u201d she said. \u201c\u2026It\u2019s a time for all the best players in the world to come together and play for your country, which is a huge honor. Anytime I get to wear that across my chest, I\u2019m really excited to do it and this time is no different.\u201d<\/p>\n Of the players joining Collier in Berlin, many will be playing on an international stage as big as the World Cup for the first time. In the past few years, Collier has grown from a player making her own debut at the Tokyo Olympics to one of USA Basketball\u2019s elder stateswomen, a role that comes with more responsibility and pressure, but still a role she relishes.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYour role changes throughout the years,\u201d Collier said. \u201cWhen I was on [my] first Olympic team, there was really no pressure. I knew I wasn\u2019t playing a lot of minutes and I was there to support and go in when Coach needed me to. As you grow, your role changes and it\u2019s more pressure, but it\u2019s an amazing pressure because you know it\u2019s younger people looking up to you, as I looked up to my older Olympic vets and continuing the culture of what it means to be a USA basketball player.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The USA\u2019s group schedule features games against China, Italy, and Czechia and Joklov\u00e1, guaranteeing at least one game where Collier will match up against a fellow Lynx.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018Rare Gems\u2019 is out now! If you enjoy Megdal\u2019s coverage of women\u2019s basketball every Wednesday at The IX Sports, you will love \u201cRare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.\u201d <\/p>\n Juh\u00e1sz paving the way for Hungary<\/p>\n Perhaps no one has been looking forward to their upcoming national team duty more than Juh\u00e1sz, who led the March qualifying tournament in scoring with 18 points per game, leading to Hungary qualifying for the FIBA World Cup for the first time in 28 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hungary came within a heartbreaking whisper of qualifying for the 2024 Olympics and Juh\u00e1sz has remained steadfast in her belief that Hungary can be a difference-maker on a global stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Olympic qualifying was tough, super tough, then we had another disappointment in not making it to EuroBasket,\u201d Juh\u00e1sz said to reporters on Minnesota\u2019s media day, May 3. \u201cI think this time it was a little bit more personal. I also took some steps in the leadership role. I was like, I don\u2019t want to go through that feeling again. Obviously, the odds aren\u2019t always with us. It\u2019s been what, 26 years since Hungary was in the World Cup\u2026I just had this clear focus that I\u2019m going to make sure I do everything in my power to take the team to the World Cup.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Juh\u00e1sz averaged 18 points and nine rebounds in the aforementioned qualifying tournament, which took place in Istanbul, the same city where she had been playing overseas for Turkish giants Galatasaray.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a great team, we had so much fun playing together,\u201d Juh\u00e1sz said. \u201cThese past years, we\u2019ve had a lot of disappointment and heartbreak, so I think everybody took that kind of personal.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The Hungarians have their work cut out for them in Berlin. They face off against one of the tournament favorites, France, in their first game. They\u2019ll also play Korea and Nigeria in Group B.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m super excited to be in Berlin in September,\u201d Juh\u00e1sz added on media day. \u201cIt\u2019s always so much joy and pride for me to wear that jersey. It just means a lot, representing the whole country and they\u2019re supporting you.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Opals looking to stay on the podium<\/p>\n Australia also has a major void to fill, as the Opals will be without one of their best scorers and Qualifying Tournament MVP Sami Whitcomb<\/a>. Replacing a player of Whitcomb\u2019s caliber and scoring prowess will likely come from the collective, but Bibby\u2019s confidence and ability to hit shots from deep make her a prime candidate to be in Sandy Brondello<\/a>\u2019s plans.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Australians are coming off a bronze medal win from the 2024 Olympics in Paris and Bibby plans on helping her home country to keep hold of its place on the podium.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOur goal is to always medal,\u201d Bibby said in her first media availability with reporters after joining the Lynx at the trade deadline in August. \u201cWe always want to be on the podium and that\u2019s Sandy\u2019s standard for us. It\u2019s going to be a tough week, but I think we all have that expectation; it\u2019s pressure, but it\u2019s good pressure.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so much pride when you get to play for your country, and I definitely feel that immense pride putting on the Australia jersey. I feel super honored, but I think with that privilege it has responsibilities. We\u2019re going to go out and do what we need to get it done, but it\u2019s definitely a goal to get on the podium.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Australia will need to fight through Group C to get there, which will include matchups against Puerto Rico, Turkey, and a game against fellow Lynx Delaere and Belgium on the final day of the group stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n Upset-minded Belgium has its eyes on historic opportunity<\/p>\n Speaking of shooters, Toni has entered the chat. Delaere heads into the tournament with plenty of momentum, shooting the ball at a 43.1% clip in her first WNBA season. The Belgians are coached by Mike Thibault, who saw Reeve eclipse his all-time WNBA wins record of 379 earlier this season and is also the father of Lynx assistant Eric Thibault.\u00a0<\/p>\n Belgium just missed out on a podium finish at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, but had one of the stronger showings in the tournament and had the chance to meet the United States in the gold medal game before losing to France in overtime of the semis.\u00a0<\/p>\n Delaere was her usual sharp-shooting self in Paris, hitting 46.2% of her 3-point attempts in the tournament. Another team with their eyes set on the podium, some hot shooting from Delaere would go a long way in the Belgians winning in historic fashion\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cUntil now, we only have [domestic] medals in Europe,\u201d Delaere said on Lynx media day. \u201cWe want to go to that next step and to get a medal at the World Cup. The World Cup and the Olympics in LA are our biggest goals at the moment\u2026We\u2019re getting a little older so we [can\u2019t] wait too long for it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Belgium does boast a wealth of experience with the likes of Emma Meesseman, Julie Allemand<\/a>, and Julie Vanloo joining Delaere. They\u2019re also one of three competing countries who share a border with Germany and can expect a homecourt advantage in just about every game until they meet Czechia or France down the line.\u00a0<\/p>\n Listen now to The IX Sports Podcast and Women\u2019s Sports Daily A big challenge means a big opportunity for Czechia<\/p>\n It would be a much different outlook for the Czechs if they had \u010cechov\u00e1 healthy and available to play. They have a gargantuan challenge ahead of them by sharing a group with the USA, Italy, and China.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s still a good opportunity for them to build on their young core of players\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m super proud we made it to the World Cup,\u201d Joklov\u00e1 told reporters after the rosters were finalized. \u201cIt\u2019s after I think 12 or 14 years, I don\u2019t remember exactly, but it\u2019s [been] a little bit. It\u2019s going to be hard times for us because Emma is injured\u2026but we will do our best to perform as much and as good as we can.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Given the schedule and the injuries facing Team Czechia, a solid start will be imperative to their tournament goals.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI think the most important game for us is the first game with Italy,\u201d Joklov\u00e1 said. \u201cIt will show us how we are as a team and if we can make it to the next round\u2026We need to accept it and play a little bit differently, but still, it\u2019s the World Cup and you want to perform as good as you can.\u201d<\/p>\n The newest Lynx \u2014 and how far can Spain go?<\/p>\n Elena Buenavida<\/a> has yet to debut for the Lynx or meet with the team stateside. The World Cup gives Lynx fans their first chance to see her in high-profile games that matter since the Lynx signed her to a development contract.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI think the starting point is she\u2019s got a level of confidence and toughness to her game, her pace of play, scores the ball, handles physicality well, all things that will serve you well in our league,\u201d Reeve said when asked about Buenavida earlier in August. \u201cShe signed with UCLA a few years back, so was a highly-touted prospect and has been pro since then, so I think that experience [helps]. Obviously, you don\u2019t know until you get here, we\u2019ll just take it a step at a time. It\u2019s a player we\u2019ve watched for a couple of years now and we thought it would be good to bring her over.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Buenavida is part of a Spanish side that has a chance to make real noise in the tournament with a cast that includes No. 3 overall pick in the WNBA Draft Awa Fam<\/a>, in addition to WNBA players Megan DiLeo<\/a>, Maria Conde<\/a>, Raquel Carrera, Alicia Florez, and Portland Fire draft pick Iyanna Mart\u00edn.\u00a0<\/p>\n Plenty to play for<\/p>\n Given the sheer number of Lynx in Berlin, there\u2019s a chance for the entire podium to be decorated with Minnesota WNBA talent. However, the team that very nearly knocked USA off the top last time may have something to say about that. <\/p>\n France enters the tournament as the No. 1 reason why \u2018USA vs. the field\u2019 is no longer the no-brainer prediction it used to be. Of all the games featuring Lynx players, Friday\u2019s Group B opening contest between the French and Juh\u00e1sz\u2019s Hungary is perhaps the juiciest of the full slate. At the very least, it could be a great barometer for how far Hungary has come and how far they may still have yet to go.<\/p>\n Add it all up and it\u2019s a tournament filled with opportunities big and small for several Minnesota players. The two-week break during the hyper-specific nature of a WNBA playoff push to go try and win an international tournament will always feel unconventional, but while the league may be on pause, the competition is just heating up for the Lynx in Berlin.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MINNEAPOLIS \u2014 As the WNBA hits the pause button for the 2026 FIBA Women\u2019s World Cup in Berlin,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":83538,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[60325,18,60326,60327,60328,60329,60330,60331,60332,55694,60333,60334],"class_list":["post-83537","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-berlin","tag-antonia-delaere","tag-berlin","tag-cheryl-reeve","tag-chloe-bibby","tag-dorka-juhasz","tag-elena-buenavida","tag-eliska-hamzova","tag-eliska-joklova","tag-emma-cechova","tag-fiba-world-cup","tag-minnesota-lynx","tag-napheesa-collier"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83537"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83537\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83538"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The IX Basketball and The IX Sports, wrote this deeply reported book. \u201cRare Gems\u201d follows four connected generations of women\u2019s basketball pioneers, from Elvera \u201cPeps\u201d Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.<\/p>\n
We are excited to announce the launch of TWO new podcasts for all the women\u2019s sports fans out there looking for a daily dose of women\u2019s sports news and analysis. Stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or anywhere you listen to podcasts, and make sure to subscribe!<\/p>\n