Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier has achieved what only one player in WNBA history had done before her — a 50-40-90 season. That means shooting at least 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 90% from the free-throw line over the course of a year. The only other woman to reach this level was Elena Delle Donne in 2019, a season where she averaged 19.5 points and 8.3 rebounds, while also being named league MVP.
With Collier now becoming just the second WNBA player to hit the 50-40-90 mark — and doing it while scoring more than 20 points per game — Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve believes there’s no question who should win MVP this season.
“It had only been done once before and that player was the MVP of the league and Phee deserves that same recognition. And the numbers don’t lie. I think that’s something that voters should look at. It’s from start to finish. A 50-40-90 is historic. I don’t know how long it will be before it happens again. And so Napheesa Collier has been the best player in the WNBA this season and deserves MVP,” said Reeve.
One of only 12 players ever to do it
Collier’s season is not just special in the WNBA context — it’s historic across basketball. She is only the 12th professional player, male or female, to post a 50-40-90 season. Before the year began, Reeve actually challenged her to pursue this rare statistical achievement. Collier, who finished runner-up to A’ja Wilson in the 2024 MVP race, embraced the challenge and elevated her game to new heights.
This season, she averaged a career-best 22.9 points along with 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. Her shooting splits were equally remarkable: 53.1% from the field, 40.3% from deep, and 90.6% at the line.
Collier admitted the goal pushed her:
“It’s a goal that Cheryl gave me at the beginning of the year. It’s just like a sense of accomplishment. I’m a very goal-oriented person, so when I accomplish those, it just feels good… It’s just like a sense of accomplishment,” said Collier.
Tight MVP race heading into the finish
The 2025 MVP conversation has been one of the closest in years. Last week, former WNBA great Sue Bird noted how the award could come down to the final games. Bird praised Collier’s season-long excellence but pointed out that A’ja Wilson’s late surge might give her the edge.
Bird also raised the concern that Collier’s 10 missed games due to injury, and the possibility of Minnesota resting her, might sway some voters.
“The way that A’ja Wilson has been playing, the numbers and the win streak and where she has her team right now, it’s hard to deny that. And then the same for Phee. And of course, with Phee, there’s the whole injury, miss 10 games. I think voters have to figure out how they’re going to weigh,” said Bird. “If Phee rests because Minnesota’s so far ahead, does that change the MVP conversations if Vegas is still playing and A’ja puts up? I mean, it’s really interesting.”
Ultimately, Reeve chose not to sit her star in the season finale. Collier responded with 18 points on 8-for-10 shooting, including three triples, as the Lynx defeated the Golden State Valkyrie 72-53. Still, Wilson recently overtook Collier as the betting favorite for MVP and was also named AP Player of the Year for the second straight time, strengthening her case.
The question now is whether voters will recognize the rarity of Collier’s 50-40-90 season — an achievement that has been almost impossible to reach in basketball history — and give her the same recognition that Delle Donne received when she first accomplished it.
