Reigning Unrivaled MVP Napheesa Collier is sidelined for Season 2 due to double ankle surgery

Napheesa Collier will miss the second season of the 3×3 league she co-founded, as surgery on both of her ankles will sideline Unrivaled’s reigning MVP and 1-on-1 Tournament champion for four to six months.

At Unrivaled’s mid-December media day, Collier, again the captain of Lunar Owls, had indicated that she expected to be on the court for the start of season, expressing confidence in her rehab process even though she was “still working to get back to 100 percent.”

But after further evaluations by medical professionals, it was determined that Collier’s recovery from her ankle injuries had not progressed as necessary and would require surgery on both ankles. Collier sprained her right ankle on August 2 during the Minnesota Lynx’s historic blowout win over the Las Vegas Aces. In Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals against the Phoenix Mercury, she tore three ligaments in her left ankle, causing her to miss the Lynx’s decisive Game 4 loss.

Collier shared a message on Instagram that reads:

I am heartbroken to share that I will miss this Unrivaled season. I have fought hard over the last few months to be back with my Owls and was devastated to be told by my team of doctors that surgery was the best path forward.

I will still be cheering on my teammates every step of the way, and I will continue to work relentlessly with the rest of the players and our staff to push our sport forward and raise the bar for women’s basketball. I will be back at full strength as soon as possible and ready to continue where I left off, but for now, it’s still and always will be…HootieHoooooo!

Collier is the second star who will miss Unrivaled’s second season, as Satou Sabally, a member of Phantom, is out indefinitely due to lingering symptoms from the concussion she suffered in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals with the Mercury.

Temi Fagbenle, who plays the the Golden State Valkyries in the WNBA, will replace Collier on Lunar Owls’ roster.