WNBA superstar Napheesa Collier will be sidelined for the next 4-6 months as she recovers from surgery on her ankles. The operations will be performed this week in New York by Dr. Martin O’Malley, and will prevent Collier from competing in the upcoming season of Unrivaled.
Collier suffered a pair of significant ankle injuries during the 2025 WNBA campaign, the first of which occurred on August 2nd against the Las Vegas Aces, which put her on the shelf for 3 weeks. This was then followed by 3 torn ligaments in her left ankle during Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals vs. the Phoenix Mercury which ended her season.
The 29 year old had hoped to be ready for the upcoming Unrivaled season by progressing through rehab rather than undergoing surgery. As recently as December she appeared confident that her recovery timeline would line up for the start of the year.
Unfortunately, after additional consultations, it appears that she will require medical intervention to get her body back to 100%. Collier has expressed disappointment to not be able to play in the 3 on 3 league she co-founded with Breanna Stewart, but assured fans she would remain involved behind the scenes in the 2nd year venture.
Unrivaled announced that Golden State Valkyries forward Temi Fagbenle will take Collier’s spot on the Lunar Owls roster this season.
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