The Minnesota Lynx are still hungry for a championship. They came painfully close two years in a row. But even the 2026 season is already showing signs of trouble!

That’s because Kayla McBride has joined Napheesa Collier on the injury list. The Lynx guard was in Turkey with Fenerbahçe Opet, but McBride suffered a torn quad muscle. 

McBride, however, addressed the situation herself. She took to X and shared that a recovery plan is already in place, adding that “everything is okay.”

As per the Athletic, "It should require only seven to 10 days to rehab, a source close to the Lynx confirmed."

It's a huge source of relief for Lynx fans. Notably, McBride averaged 20 points per game across six playoff games during the 2025 postseason. 

She remains one of the league’s most reliable perimeter scorers. Last season, she averaged 14.2 points and 2.3 rebounds across 39 starts. Her biggest weapon, however, is her long-range shooting. 

She’s even the WNBA’s active leader in made three-pointers and ranks seventh on the league’s all-time list with 722. Whether the Lynx can use that weapon depends on two things: her health and the league’s evolving structure.

What’s Next for Kayla McBride?

For now, McBride will focus on rehab away from the spotlight. She is set to become a free agent for the 2026 season, and her future with the Lynx depends on negotiations and potential offers.

Those talks, however, can only move forward once the league and the players’ union reach a new CBA. So far, both sides have agreed to a moratorium and are continuing negotiations in “good faith.” 

Although the W has already unveiled the 2026 schedule, much of the league’s business is effectively on hold. More than 100 players are waiting on free agency. The expansion draft for two new teams is also delayed. So what do you think? Will the league find a solution soon? 

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar