The Minnesota Lynx are an American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

team based in

Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

. The Lynx compete in the

Women's National Basketball Association The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. The league comprises 13 teams (scheduled to expand to 15 in 2026). The WNBA is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan. The WNBA w ...

(WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference. The team won the WNBA title in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017. Founded prior to the 1999 season, the team was owned by

Glen Taylor Glen Albert Taylor (born April 20, 1941) is an American billionaire business magnate and politician from Minnesota. Taylor made his fortune as the founder and owner of Minnesota-based Taylor Corporation, one of the largest graphic communication ...

, who was also the majority owner of the Lynx'

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

counterpart, the

Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves (often referred to as the Wolves or T-wolves) are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Divisio ...

, from 1999 to 2025. The current owners of the Lynx are

Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop, third baseman and designated hitter and current businessman. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (ML ...

and Marc Lore. The franchise has been home to players such as

Katie Smith Katie Smith (born June 4, 1974) is an American basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes women's basketball team. She is the former head coach of the New York Liberty. A retired professional baske ...

Seimone Augustus Seimone Delicia Augustus (born April 30, 1984) is an American basketball coach and former professional player. She is currently an assistant coach for the LSU Tigers women's basketball, Louisiana State University women's basketball team. She was ...

, native Minnesotan Lindsay Whalen,

Maya Moore Maya April Moore (born June 11, 1989) is an American social justice advocate and former professional basketball player. Naming her their inaugural Performer of the Year in 2017, ''Sports Illustrated'' called Moore the "greatest winner in the hist ...

, Rebekkah Brunson, and Sylvia Fowles. The Lynx have qualified for the WNBA playoffs in 15 of their 26 years.

History

Joining the league (1998–2004)

On April 22, 1998, the WNBA announced they would add two expansion teams (Minnesota and the

Orlando Miracle The Orlando Miracle were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Orlando, Florida. It began play in the 1999 WNBA season. The Miracle relocated, in 2003, to Uncasville, Connecticut, where the team became the Connecticut ...

) for the 1999 season. The team was officially named the Minnesota Lynx on December 5, 1998. The Lynx started their inaugural season in 1999 with 12,122 fans in attendance to watch the first regular-season game against the

Detroit Shock The Detroit Shock were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006, and 2008 WNBA champions. Debuting in 1998, the Shock were one of the league's first expansion franchises. Th ...

at Target Center. The Lynx defeated Detroit 68 – 51 in the franchise's first game. They finished their first season 15–17 overall and held the same record in 2000. In 2001, the Lynx took a turn for the worse as they posted a 12–20 record. The Lynx' first head coach,

Brian Agler Brian Agler (born August 2, 1958) is an American college athletics administrator and former women's basketball coach. He is the athletic director at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, a position he has held since 2021. Agler served as ...

, was released during the 2002 season after compiling a 47–67 record in three-plus seasons.

Heidi VanDerveer Heidi Elizabeth VanDerveer (born February 11, 1964) is a women's basketball collegiate and professional coach. She is currently the women's basketball head coach at UC San Diego. A native of Chautauqua, New York, VanDerveer was a four-year let ...

became the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The team finished the 2002 season with a 10–22 record, worst in franchise history (until 2006). In 2003, the Lynx hired

Suzie McConnell-Serio Suzie McConnell-Serio (born July 29, 1966) is an American former women's basketball coach and player. She was the head coach for the women's basketball team at the University of Pittsburgh from 2013 to 2018. In 2004, she was named WNBA Coach of t ...

as head coach. She led the team to finish with a franchise-best 18–16 record and advanced to the WNBA Playoffs for the first time. They matched both of these feats in the 2004 season.

Seimone Augustus joins the team (2005–2007)

The 2005 season was one of transition for the franchise. Leading scorer

was dealt to Detroit in July and the team stumbled down the stretch, missing the playoffs for the first time in three years. The poor finish did pay off however, as the team won the draft lottery and selected All-American guard

Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...

with the first overall pick in the 2006 WNBA draft. The Lynx began the 2006 season as the youngest team in the WNBA. On May 31, the team set the WNBA single-game scoring record (at the time), routing the

Los Angeles Sparks The Los Angeles Sparks are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Sparks compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference. The team plays its home games at Crypto.co ...

by a score of 114–71. Despite this victory and with her team floundering to an 8–15 record, head coach McConnell-Serio resigned on July 23. She was replaced by assistant Carolyn Jenkins, who piloted the squad to a 2–9 finish. The team's 24 losses set a franchise record. Following the season, Augustus was named the 2006 WNBA Rookie of the Year. Her 21.9 points per game is still a WNBA rookie record. The 22-year-old was the second player in team history to win the award. On December 13, 2006, the Lynx named veteran

assistant Don Zierden their fifth head coach. In the

2007 WNBA draft The 2007 WNBA draft was the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. A lottery was held on October 26, 2006, among the teams with the worst records in the previous se ...

, the Lynx traded center Tangela Smith, whom they acquired in the dispersal draft from the

Charlotte Sting The Charlotte Sting were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, one of the league's eight original teams. The team disbanded on January 3, 2007. The Sting was originally the sister organization ...

, to the

Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Mercury compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference. One of eight original franchises, it wa ...

for point guard Lindsey Harding, who had been selected first overall. The Lynx began the 2007 season 0–7, lost ten straight in July and failed to get into the playoff race. They finished tying a league-worst 10–24 record. On November 1, 2007, assistant coach and former head coach Carolyn Jenkins was named Director of Player Personnel of the WNBA.

Hot starts without results (2008–2009)

The 2008 season started out much different for the Lynx than in previous years. They came flying out of the gates, going 7–1 in the first five weeks of the season. The Lynx then cooled off. They managed to play competitive basketball all season, but lost many key games down the stretch. The Lynx finished with a 16–18 record in a tough Western Conference where every team was in the playoff chase until the final week of the season. The Lynx however, did not qualify. After two consecutive 10–24 seasons, the 2008 Lynx was a step in the right direction. In 2009, Zierden resigned just days before the start of the season. Jennifer Gillom who replaced

Teresa Edwards Teresa Edwards (born July 19, 1964) is an American former women's basketball player and four time Olympic gold medalist. In 2000, ''Sports Illustrated'' magazine placed her as 22nd of the "100 Greatest Female Athletes of the 20th Century". She ...

as an assistant coach the previous year, was promoted to head coach. Another Zierden Lynx assistant, former NBA player Jim Petersen stayed with Gillom during the season, working with post players Charde Houston and

Nicky Anosike Nkolika "Nicky" Nonyelum Anosike (born February 27, 1986) is an American former professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Personal Anosike was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in Staten Island wh ...

. The Lynx saw similar results in 2008. They started with a good run (7–3), but lost many key games, including a six-game losing streak, and finished 14–20, out from the playoffs for the fifth straight season.

A new team and the first championship (2010–2011)

After five disappointing seasons, the off-season brought much more impact to the franchise. The team hired former

assistant coach

Cheryl Reeve Cheryl Reeve (born September 20, 1966) is an American basketball head coach and President of Basketball Operations for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association, WNBA. Reeve has coached the Lynx to four league championshi ...

as their new head coach, parting ways with Jennifer Gillom, who took the head coaching job of the

. The Lynx also made some moves in the off-season by selecting Rebekkah Brunson in the

Sacramento Monarchs The Sacramento Monarchs were a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009. They played their home games at ARCO Aren ...

dispersal draft A dispersal draft is a process in professional sports for assigning players to a new team when an existing team folds or is merged into another team. Like most other sports drafts, most dispersal drafts are conducted in closed leagues and are in ...

, and trading their first overall pick of the 2010 WNBA draft and Renee Montgomery to the

Connecticut Sun The Connecticut Sun are an American professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Sun compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference (WNBA), Eastern Conference. The team i ...

for former Minnesota Gopher Lindsay Whalen and the second overall pick. They added free agent

Hamchétou Maïga Hamchétou Maïga-Ba (born 25 April 1978 in Bamako) is a Malian professional women's basketball player most recently with the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA. She is also a member of the Mali women's national basketball team. At Old Dominion Maïga w ...

to the lineup, and selected

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...

guard Monica Wright with the second pick in the 2010 Draft. With these off-season transactions, the Lynx looked forward to a much improved 2010 season, which was echoed by the eighth annual WNBA general manager poll – 45% of the general managers declared the Lynx the most-improved team as the 2010 season began. Gov

The selection of

during the 2011 WNBA draft led many people to believe the Lynx to be championship contenders for the 2011 season. The team finally lived up to expectations in 2011, behind stellar play from

, Rebekkah Brunson, Moore, and Whalen, all of whom were named to the 2011 Western Conference All-Star Team. The Lynx went into the All-Star break with a 10–4 record, good for first place in the conference. After losing to Phoenix in a 112–105 contest at Target Center on July 13, the Lynx went on a nine-game winning streak, at the time a franchise record and the longest in the league for 2011. The team finished with a 27–7 record, best in the WNBA and in team history. The Lynx earned the top overall

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

in the 2011 WNBA Playoffs. In the first round, they defeated the San Antonio Silver Stars two-games-to-one in the best of three series. The Lynx then swept the

in two games to win their first conference championship. In the

Finals Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...

, the Lynx trailed at halftime in each game, but rallied each time to sweep the

Atlanta Dream The Atlanta Dream are an American professional basketball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Dream compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded for the ...

in three games, securing their first WNBA title, and the first professional championship for the state of Minnesota since the Minnesota Twins won the World Series in 1991.

was named Finals MVP.

Road to more championships (2012–2017)

In 2012, the team began the season 10–0, a franchise and league record. They clinched a playoff berth on August 19, 2012, just 21 games into the season. The team fell to the

Indiana Fever The Indiana Fever are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Fever compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) a member of the Eastern Conference (WNBA), Eastern Conference. The team was founded for ...

in the 2012 WNBA Finals. The Lynx used both the loss in the Finals and prognosticators' pre-season focus on the

's new phenom,

Brittney Griner Brittney Yvette Griner (; born October 18, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is a three-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. women's natio ...

, to motivate themselves for the 2013 season. The Lynx once again had the best record in the West. They completed their comeback, sweeping through the playoffs en route to their second

championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this sys ...

in three years, once again defeating the

, showing why she's now a superstar in the WNBA, won the 2013 WNBA Finals MVP. In doing so, the Lynx became the second WNBA team and fifth major professional sports franchise to sweep through the postseason. In 2014, the Lynx again had a successful regular season, claiming the second best record in the league, second only to Griner and the Mercury. However, in the playoffs, the Mercury bested them 2-1 in a three-game series, and the Lynx failed to make the finals for the first time since the 2010 season. In 2015, two-time Defensive Player of the Year Sylvia Fowles of the

Chicago Sky The Chicago Sky are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Sky compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The franchise was founded prior to the 2006 season. Th ...

held out of her contract until her wish was granted in July to play for Minnesota. The Lynx would go on to win their third franchise title, all three of them in a five-year span dating back to 2011. Fowles proved herself to be a crucial addition, earning finals MVP honors. Fowles2-20170914

After winning the WNBA title in 2015, the Lynx qualified to the 2016 WNBA Playoffs as the top seed with a franchise record 28–6 finish, only entering in the semi-finals to face the Phoenix Mercury. Due to the Target Center entering a renovation, the team moved to the

Xcel Energy Center Xcel Energy Center is a multipurpose arena in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. Completed in 2000 and often called "The X" by fans, it is named for its locally based corporate sponsor Xcel Energy. With an official capacity of 17,954, the arena ...

Saint Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...

, where the Lynx played the 2017 regular season. A sweep of the Mercury qualified the Lynx for their fifth finals in six years, with the adversary being the Los Angeles Sparks. The Lynx would not repeat their title, as the Sparks edged out the Lynx in a five-game series, eventually winning game 5 by 1 point. On August 18, 2017, the Lynx set two WNBA records in their 111–52 defeat of the Indiana Fever: largest margin of victory (59 points) and longest unanswered scoring run (37 consecutive points). The Lynx finished as the top seed in the league, finishing 27–7. In the semi-finals, the Lynx defeated the

Washington Mystics The Washington Mystics are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Mystics compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference (WNBA), Eastern Conference. The team was ...

in a three-game sweep to advance to the WNBA Finals for the sixth time in seven years. The Lynx avenged 2016's Finals loss to the Sparks by defeating them in five games to win their fourth championship in seven seasons and tying the now-defunct

Houston Comets The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Houston. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. They are one of two ...

for most WNBA championship titles.

The end of a dynasty (2018–2022)

In 2018, with back-up point guard Renee Montgomery leaving in free agency to sign with the

and a now aging roster intact, the Lynx would start falling way short of championship contention. Although Moore, Fowles, Augustus and Brunson made All-Star appearances, the Lynx finished as the number 7 seed in the league with an 18–16 record. This was the first time in 8 years where the Lynx did not finish as a top 2 seed. Lindsay Whalen also announced her retirement prior to the playoffs. The Lynx started off their playoff run against the rival Los Angeles Sparks in the first round elimination game. They lost 75–68, ending their run of three consecutive Finals appearances, and it was Whalen's final career game. In 2019 and 2020, however, the Lynx would produce players that won WNBA Rookie of the Year with

Napheesa Collier Napheesa Collier ( ; born September 23, 1996), nicknamed "Phee", is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Collier is also a founder of the Unrivaled (basketball le ...

and Crystal Dangerfield, respectively. Sylvia Fowles was the last of the Lynx's dynastic five starters (Augustus, Whalen, Moore, Brunson, and Fowles) to retire when she did so after the 2022 season.

Collier era (2023–present)

Napheesa Collier became the new leader of the Lynx in her fifth season in the league when she returned for the 2023 season and was named the sole captain, the first time Reeve had done so while coaching the Lynx. Reeve told Winsdr about the rebuild around Collier: "“Phee is the epitome of what we want to see. A selfless person, emotionally mature, and handles ups and downs in a way that’s just really impressive... We’re trying to make sure we’re giving her a team that she wants to play with and there’s a clear direction with our team and who we’re putting around her. That’s important to us.” With their June 11, 2024, win against the Las Vegas Aces in Vegas, the Lynx became the first WNBA team to have all five starting players each score 14+ points, 4+ rebounds, and 1+ 3 pointers. With a score of 94-89, the Lynx won the 2024 WNBA Commissioner's Cup championship against the Liberty in their June 25, 2024, game playing in New York. Napheesa Collier was named the MVP for the championship. Collier said Bridget Carleton deserved the award for her performance in the game. The team's 90-80 win against the

on August 24, 2024, clinched a playoff spot for the franchise. The game set a record for the franchise single game regular season attendance with 19,023; this is the second best attendance for any Lynx home game overall, behind only Game 5 of the 2016 WNBA Finals (19,423). The Lynx retired

's jersey in a ceremony after the game.

Uniforms

The home uniforms are white with blue and silver trim. The team jerseys bear the logo of the team's jersey sponsor, the

Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic () is a Nonprofit organization, private American Academic health science centre, academic Medical centers in the United States, medical center focused on integrated health care, healthcare, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science ...

, in blue. The road uniforms are blue with silver and white trim and the sponsor logo written in silver. The Lynx previously used an

Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized in all lowercase since 1949) is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the ...

uniform that was standard throughout the league, but the WNBA partnered with

Nike, Inc. Nike, Inc. (stylized as ''NIKE'') is an American athletic footwear and apparel corporation headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon. It is the world's largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of sports equipment, ...

for eight years beginning in 2018. The Lynx are also one of 11 WNBA teams sponsored by

Verizon Verizon Communications Inc. ( ), is an American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. It is the world's second-largest telecommunications company by revenue and its mobile network is the largest wireless carrier in the ...

, whose logo is also prominently featured on their uniforms. During the 2016 season, the white uniforms were temporarily replaced by a new silver uniform. This was part of a league-wide initiative for its 20th season, in which all games featured all-color uniform matchups. In 2021, the WNBA worked with Nike to redesign team uniforms. For the Lynx, this resulted in three versions, dubbed as Heroines, Explorers, and Rebels. The Heroine version was white with blue and green stripes and blue numbers. The Explorer uniform was blue with green and black trim and white numbers. The Rebel edition was black with black stars, white and silver trim, and white numbers. The team was abbreviated to MINN on the front of this jersey, which was inspired by the adjacent legendary music club First Avenue. In 2023, the team unveiled updated Rebel versions of its uniform, which is black with green trim and white and green letters and numbers. This design includes "Change starts with us" down the side of the jerseys and on the front of the shorts. This refers back to 2016 when the team wore warm ups with that phrase to call for social justice and protest the murders of two Black men by police. The four stripes on the side of the uniforms represent the team's four championships.

Lynx Foundation

The Minnesota Lynx Foundation holds an annual "Catwalk for a Cure" event at the

Mall of America Mall of America (MoA) is a large shopping mall located in Bloomington, Minnesota. Located within the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, the mall lies southeast of the junction of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77, north ...

during the WNBA's Breast Health Awareness Week to raise funds for breast cancer related charities. The 2011 event was held Aug 5 and raised $5,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. In 2012, the Lynx hosted the Catwalk for a Cure at the

rotunda for the first time, occupying the largest staging area inside the country's biggest mall. In addition to displaying outfits, Lynx players ended the show with a dance based on the song "Background" by

Lecrae Lecrae Devaughn Moore (born October 9, 1979) is an American Christian rapper, singer-songwriter, actor, and Record producer, recording producer and Music executive, executive. Since having begun his career in 2004, he has released ten studio alb ...

and Andy Mineo. The Lynx Foundation donated a $5,000 grant to the SAGE program, run by the Minnesota Department of Health. During the WNBA's 2013 Breast Health Awareness Week and in partnership with the Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation, the Lynx game against the Indiana Fever on August 25 was a "Pink Out" game at

Target Center Target Center is a multi-purpose arena located in Minneapolis that opened in 1990. It hosts major family shows, concerts, sporting events, graduations and private events. Target Corporation, founded and headquartered in Minneapolis since 1902, h ...

and on August 29, the 5th annual "Catwalk for a Cure" event was held at the

. The Lynx donated a $10,000 grant to the Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation.

Season-by-season records

Players

Roster

Other rights owned

FIBA Hall of Fame

Retired numbers

Team officials

Owners

Current

* Marc Lore (2025–present) *

(2025–present)

Former

, owner of the

(1999–2025)

Head coaches

President of Basketball Operations

(2022–present)

General managers

(1999–2002) * Roger Griffith (2003–2017) *

(2018–2022) * Clare Duwelius (2022–2024) *vacant (2024-present)

Assistant coaches

(1999–2001) *Kelly Kramer (1999–2002) * Nancy Darsch (2003–2005) * Carolyn Jenkins (2003–2005, 2007) * Jim Lewis (2006) *Susan Yow (2006) *

(2007) *Ed Prohofsky (2007–2008) * Jennifer Gillom (2008) * Julie Plank (2008) * Jim Davis (2009) * Jim Petersen (2009–2016) * Shelley Patterson (2010–2019) *

James Wade James Martin Wade (born 6 April 1983) is an English professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is currently ranked world number nine; he reached a peak ranking of world number two in 2010. ...

(2017–2018) * Walt Hopkins (2017–2019) * Plenette Pierson (2019–2022) *

(2020–2024) * Rebekkah Brunson (2020–present) * Elaine Powell (2023–present) * Lindsay Whalen (2025–present) * Eric Thibault (2025–present)

Statistics

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1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

, B. Reed (16.4) , B. Reed (6.0) , Sonja Tate, S. Tate (3.1) , 63.6 vs 66.0 , 28.3 vs 32.1 , .389 vs .425 , - , - ! style="width:8%;", PPG ! style="width:8%;",

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2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

, K. Smith (20.2) , B. Lennox (5.6) , K. Smith (2.8) , 68.5 vs 68.4 , 27.2 vs 30.5 , .421 vs .429 , - ,

2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...

, K. Smith (23.1) , S. Abrosimova (6.7) , K. Paye (3.0) , 64.9 vs 67.4 , 31.3 vs 31.8 , .371 vs .390 , - ,

2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...

, K. Smith (16.5) , T. Williams (7.4) , T. Moore (3.0) , 62.6 vs 65.8 , 30.0 vs 28.6 , .410 vs .413 , - ,

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

, K. Smith (18.2) , T. Williams (6.1) , T. Edwards (4.4) , 70.0 vs 69.7 , 31.7 vs 29.1 , .442 vs .425 , - ,

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

, K. Smith (18.8) , T. Williams (6.0) , H. Darling (3.5) , 63.7 vs 64.4 , 31.1 vs 30.5 , .404 vs .408 , - ,

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

, N. Ohlde (11.2) , N. Ohlde (5.7) , K. Harrower (2.8) , 65.0 vs 67.3 , 30.1 vs 31.0 , .412 vs .427 , - ,

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

, S. Augustus (21.9) , T. Williams (5.6) , A. Jacobs (3.4) , 74.2 vs 80.4 , 33.6 vs 35.4 , .427 vs .434 , - ,

2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...

, S. Augustus (22.6) , N. Ohlde (6.1) , N. Quinn (4.4) , 77.5 vs 80.9 , 34.8 vs 32.9 , .412 vs .450 , - ,

2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...

, S. Augustus (19.1) , N. Anosike (6.8) , L. Harding (3.2) , 81.4 vs 80.0 , 33.7 vs 35.6 , .430 vs .439 , - ,

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

, N. Anosike (13.2) , N. Anosike (7.4) , N. Anosike (2.7) , 80.3 vs 83.1 , 32.0 vs 34.3 , .420 vs .461 , - , - ! style="width:8%;", PPG ! style="width:8%;",

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2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...

, S. Augustus (16.9) , R. Brunson (10.3) , L. Whalen (5.6) , 78.7 vs 82.1 , 35.2 vs 34.9 , .397 vs .446 , - ,

2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...

, S. Augustus (16.2) , R. Brunson (8.9) , L. Whalen (5.9) , 81.5 vs 73.6 , 36.5 vs 30.1 , .461 vs .413 , - ,

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

, S. Augustus (16.6) , R. Brunson (8.9) , L. Whalen (5.4) , 86.0 vs 76.2 , 37.8 vs 30.9 , .473 vs .407 , - ,

2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...

, M. Moore (18.5) , R. Brunson (8.9) , L. Whalen (5.8) , 82.9 vs 73.5 , 36.9 vs 32.2 , .474 vs .405 , - ,

2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...

, M. Moore (23.9) , R. Brunson (8.2) , L. Whalen (5.5) , 81.6 vs 77.2 , 35.2 vs 32.6 , .467 vs .423 , - ,

2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...

, M. Moore (20.6) , S. Fowles (8.3) , L. Whalen (4.2) , 75.5 vs 71.7 , 35.3 vs 33.1 , .441 vs .414 , - ,

2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...

, M. Moore (19.3) , S. Fowles (8.5) , M. Moore (4.2) , 85.8 vs 77.0 , 35.8 vs 30.7 , .471 vs .417 , - ,

2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...

, S. Fowles (18.9) , S. Fowles (10.4) , L. Whalen (4.1) , 85.4 vs 74.2 , 35.2 vs 30.2 , .478 vs .424 , - ,

2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...

, M. Moore (18.0) , S. Fowles (11.9) , D. Robinson (3.3) , 78.9 vs 78.3 , 35.3 vs 31.1 , .451 vs .445 , - ,

2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...

, O. Sims (14.5) , S. Fowles (8.9) , O. Sims (5.4) , 78.4 vs 75.9 , 34.0 vs 31.1 , .451 vs .434 , - , - ! style="width:8%;", PPG ! style="width:8%;",

! style="width:8%;", APG ! style="width:8%;", PPG ! style="width:8%;",

! style="width:8%;", FG% , - ,

2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...

, C. Dangerfield (16.2) , S. Fowles (9.7) , C. Dangerfield (3.6) , 84.4 vs 80.6 , 34.4 vs 30.9 , .456 vs .447 , - ,

2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...

, N. Collier (16.2) , S. Fowles (10.1) , L. Clarendon (5.7) , 82.7 vs 78.7 , 34.9 vs 32.5 , .458 vs .424 , - ,

2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...

, S. Fowles & A. Powers (14.4) , S. Fowles (9.8) , M. Jefferson (4.9) , 82.4 vs 83.9 , 36.9 vs 32.4 , .450 vs .439 , - ,

2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...

, N. Collier (21.5) , N. Collier (8.5) , L. Allen (4.5) , 80.2 vs 85.0 , 34.3 vs 35.2 , .435 vs .446 , - ,

2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...

, N. Collier (20.4) , N. Collier (9.7) , C. Williams (5.5) , 82.0 vs 75.6 , 34.3 vs 35.3 , .448 vs .410

Media coverage

Lynx games are broadcast on either Bally Sports North or Bally Sports North Plus. Broadcasters for the Lynx television games are Marney Gellner and Lea B. Olsen. Lynx games are carried on KFAN, and Wendell Epps broadcasts radio games (and iHeartRadio feeds). Some Lynx games are broadcast nationally on

ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...

ESPN2 ESPN2 is an American multinational pay television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communications (which owns the remaining 20%). ESPN2 was initially ...

Ion Television Ion Television (referred to on-air as simply Ion) is an American broadcast television network and FAST television channel owned by the Scripps Networks subsidiary of the E. W. Scripps Company. The network first began broadcasting on August ...

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

CBS Sports Network CBS Sports Network (a.k.a. CBSSN) is an American digital cable and satellite television network owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global. When it launched in 2002 as the National College Sports Network (later College Sports ...

and ABC.

All-time notes

Regular season attendance

*A sellout for a basketball game at

is 18,798. *A sellout for a basketball game at

is 17,954.

Arenas

1999–2016, 2018–present *

Williams Arena Williams Arena is an indoor arena located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the home arena for the University of Minnesota's men's and women's basketball teams. It also housed the men's hockey team until 1993, when it moved into its own building ...

2007 one regular season game, 2017 playoffs *

2016 Semi-final playoffs, 2017 regular season

Draft picks

*1999 Expansion Draft: Brandy Reed (1), Kim Williams (3), Octavia Blue (5), Adia Barnes (7) *1999: Tonya Edwards (7), Trisha Fallon (19), Andrea Lloyd (31), Sonja Tate (43), Angie Potthoff (49) *2000: Grace Daley (5), Betty Lennox (6), Maylana Martin (10), Marla Brumfield (22), Keitha Dickerson (24), Phylesha Whaley (38), Jana Lichnerova (54), Shanele Stires (56) *2001: Svetlana Abrosimova (7), Erin Buescher (23), Tombi Bell (39), Megan Taylor (55) *2002: Tamika Williams (6), Lindsey Meder (38), Shárron Francis (54) *2003

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...

Dispersal Draft: Sheri Sam (2) *2003: Teresa Edwards (14), Carla Bennett (29) *2004

Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

Dispersal Draft: Helen Darling (7) *2004: Nicole Ohlde (6), Vanessa Hayden (7), Tasha Butts (20), Amber Jacobs (33) *2005: Kristen Mann (11), Jacqueline Batteast (17), Monique Bivins (37) *2006: Seimone Augustus (1), Shona Thorburn (7), Megan Duffy (31) *2007 Charlotte Dispersal Draft: Tangela Smith (2) *2007: Noelle Quinn (4), Eshaya Murphy (15), Brooke Smith (23), Kathrin Ress (24) *2008: Candice Wiggins (3), Nicky Anosike (16), Charde Houston (30) *2009

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

Dispersal Draft: Roneeka Hodges (4) *2009: Renee Montgomery (4), Quanitra Hollingsworth (9), Rashanda McCants (15), Emily Fox (30) *2010

Sacramento Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the seat of Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers in Northern California's Sacramento Valley, Sacramento's 2020 p ...

Dispersal Draft: Rebekkah Brunson (2) *2010: Monica Wright (2), Kelsey Griffin (3), Gabriela Marginean (26) *2011: Maya Moore (1), Amber Harris (4), Jessica Breland (13), Kachine Alexander (26) *2012: Devereaux Peters (3), Damiris Dantas (12), Julie Wojta (18), Kayla Standish (19), Nika Baric (20), Jacki Gemelos (31) *2013: Lindsey Moore (12), Sugar Rodgers (14), Chucky Jeffery (24), Waltiea Rolle (36) *2014: Tricia Liston (12), Asya Bussie (15), Christina Foggie (24), Asia Taylor (36) *2015: Reshanda Gray (16), Shae Kelley (35) *2016: Jazmon Gwathmey (14), Bashaara Graves (22), Temi Fagbenle (35) *2017: Alexis Jones (12), Lisa Berkani (24), Tahlia Tupaea (36) *2018: Ji-Su Park (17), Kahlia Lawrence (24), Carlie Wagner (36) *2019: Napheesa Collier (6), Jessica Shepard (16), Natisha Hiedeman (18), Cierra Dillard (20), Kenisha Bell (30) *2020: Mikiah Herbert Harrigan (6), Crystal Dangerfield (16) *2021: Rennia Davis (9) *2022: Kayla Jones (22), Hannah Sjerven (28) *2023: Diamond Miller (2),

Maïa Hirsch Maïa Hirsch (born November 13, 2003) is a French basketball player for Villeneuve d'Ascq of the La Boulangère Wonderligue. She was drafted 12th overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2023 WNBA draft, in which three French players were selected ...

(12), Dorka Juhász (16), Brea Beal (24), Taylor Soule (28) *2024: Alissa Pili (8), Kiki Jefferson (31) *2025: Anastasiia Kosu (15), Dalayah Daniels (24), Aubrey Griffin (37)

All-Stars

*1999: Tonya Edwards *2000: Betty Lennox, Katie Smith *2001: Katie Smith *2002: Katie Smith *2003: Katie Smith *2004: Katie Smith *2005: Katie Smith *2006: Seimone Augustus *2007: Seimone Augustus *2008: No All-Star Game *2009: Nicky Anosike, Charde Houston *2010: Rebekkah Brunson, Lindsay Whalen *2011: Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson, Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen *2012: No All-Star Game *2013: Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson, Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen *2014: Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen *2015: Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen *2016: No All-Star Game *2017: Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson, Sylvia Fowles, Maya Moore *2018: Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson, Sylvia Fowles, Maya Moore *2019: Napheesa Collier, Sylvia Fowles, Odyssey Sims *2020: No All-Star Game *2021: Napheesa Collier, Sylvia Fowles *2022: Sylvia Fowles *2023: Napheesa Collier *2024: Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride

Olympians

*2000: Katie Smith, Kristi Harrower (AUS), Annie La Fleur (AUS) *2004: Katie Smith, Kristi Harrower (AUS), Nuria Martinez (ESP) *2008: Seimone Augustus, Nuria Martinez (ESP) *2012: Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Rachel Jarry (AUS), Damiris Dantas (BRA) *2016: Anna Cruz (ESP), Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles, Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Rachel Jarry (AUS) *2020: Napheesa Collier, Sylvia Fowles, Bridget Carleton (CAN), Natalie Achonwa (CAN) *2024: Napheesa Collier, Alanna Smith (AUS), Bridget Carleton (CAN)

Honors and awards

*2000 ''Rookie of the Year'': Betty Lennox *2000 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Katie Smith *2000 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Betty Lennox *2001 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Katie Smith *2002 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Katie Smith *2003 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Katie Smith *2004 ''Coach of the Year'': Suzie McConnell Serio *2004 ''Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award'': Teresa Edwards *2006 ''Rookie of the Year'': Seimone Augustus *2006 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Seimone Augustus *2006 ''All-Rookie Team'': Seimone Augustus *2007 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Seimone Augustus *2008 ''Sixth Woman of the Year'': Candice Wiggins *2008 ''All-Rookie Team'': Nicky Anosike *2008 ''All-Rookie Team'': Candice Wiggins *2009 ''All-Defensive First Team'': Nicky Anosike *2009 ''All-Rookie Team'': Renee Montgomery *2010 ''All-Defensive Second Team'': Rebekkah Brunson *2010 ''All-Rookie Team'': Monica Wright *2011 ''WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player'': Seimone Augustus *2011 ''Rookie of the Year'': Maya Moore *2011 ''Coach of the Year'': Cheryl Reeve *2011 ''All-WNBA First Team:'' Lindsay Whalen *2011 ''All-WNBA Second Team:'' Seimone Augustus *2011 ''Peak Performer (Assists)'': Lindsay Whalen *2011 ''All-Defensive First Team'': Rebekkah Brunson *2011 ''All-Rookie Team'': Maya Moore *2012 ''Peak Performer (Assists)'': Lindsay Whalen *2012 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Seimone Augustus *2012 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Lindsay Whalen *2012 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Maya Moore *2013 ''WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player'': Maya Moore *2013 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Maya Moore *2013 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Lindsay Whalen *2013 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Seimone Augustus *2013 ''All-Defensive Second Team'': Rebekkah Brunson *2014 ''Most Valuable Player'': Maya Moore *2014 ''Peak Performer (Points)'': Maya Moore *2014 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Maya Moore *2014 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Seimone Augustus *2014 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Lindsay Whalen *2014 ''All-Defensive Second Team'': Maya Moore *2015 ''WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player'': Sylvia Fowles *2015 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Maya Moore *2016 ''Defensive Player of the Year'': Sylvia Fowles *2016 ''Coach of the Year'': Cheryl Reeve *2016 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Maya Moore *2016 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Sylvia Fowles *2016 ''All-Defensive First Team'': Sylvia Fowles *2017 ''Most Valuable Player'': Sylvia Fowles *2017 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Sylvia Fowles *2017 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Maya Moore *2017 ''All-Defensive First Team'': Sylvia Fowles *2017 ''All-Defensive Second Team'': Rebekkah Brunson *2017 ''All-Defensive Second Team'': Maya Moore *2017 ''WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player'': Sylvia Fowles *2018 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Maya Moore *2018 ''All-Defensive Second Team'': Rebekkah Brunson *2018 ''All-Defensive Second Team'': Sylvia Fowles *2018 ''Peak Performer (Rebounds)'': Sylvia Fowles *2019 ''Rookie of the Year'': Napheesa Collier *2019 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Odyssey Sims *2019 ''All-Rookie Team'': Napheesa Collier *2019 ''Executive of the Year'': Cheryl Reeve *2020 ''Rookie of the Year'': Crystal Dangerfield *2020 ''Coach of the Year'': Cheryl Reeve *2020 ''All-Rookie Team'': Crystal Dangerfield *2020 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Napheesa Collier *2020 ''All-Defensive Second Team'': Napheesa Collier *2021 ''Defensive Player of the Year'': Sylvia Fowles *2021 ''All-Defensive First Team'': Sylvia Fowles *2021 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Sylvia Fowles *2022 ''Peak Performer (Rebounds)'': Sylvia Fowles *2022 ''Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award'': Sylvia Fowles *2022 ''All-Defensive First Team'': Sylvia Fowles *2022 ''All-WNBA Second Team'': Sylvia Fowles *2023 ''All-Rookie Team'': Diamond Miller *2023 ''All-Rookie Team'': Dorka Juhász *2023 ''All-WNBA First Team'': Napheesa Collier *2024 ''Defensive Player of the Year'': Napheesa Collier *2024 ''All-Defensive First Team'': Napheesa Collier *2024 ''All-Defensive Second Team'': Alanna Smith *2024 ''Coach of the Year'': Cheryl Reeve *2024 ''Executive of the Year'': Cheryl Reeve

Sylvia Fowles Altruism Award

*2023:

*2024: Bridget Carleton

Notes

References

External links

* {{Authority control Women's National Basketball Association teams Basketball teams established in 1998 Basketball teams in Minnesota Basketball in Minneapolis 1998 establishments in Minnesota