Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, F Napheesa Collier win key WNBA awards

Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve won a pair of top WNBA awards and forward Napheesa Collier was named the Defensive Player of the Year, the league announced Sunday.

Reeve was honored as Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year after leading the Lynx to a 30-10 regular season and a sweep of the Phoenix Mercury in the first round of the playoffs.

With the honor, Reeve, 58, becomes the first person to win Coach of the Year four times, also named in 2011, 2016 and 2020. This is her second Executive of the Year title following her 2019 win.

In her 15th season as the head coach of the Lynx, Reeve received 62 of 67 votes from a national media panel for the coaching award. Sandy Brondello of the New York Liberty got four votes, and Indiana Fever coach Christie Sides was named on one ballot.

As for Collier, this is her first Defensive Player of the Year award. She received 36 of 67 votes, with A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces second with 26.

Collier, 28, is in her sixth WNBA season and started all 34 of her games played. She ranked second in the league in steals per game (1.91), third in rebounds (9.7), fourth in defensive rebounds (7.5) and seventh in blocked shots (1.41).

The four-time All-Star had 10 defensive rebounds or more in seven games. She had eight steals on June 14 against the Los Angeles Sparks.

The Lynx finished the regular season second in the league with fewest points allowed (75.6).

Minnesota opens the semifinal round of the WNBA playoffs in a quest for its fifth league title Sunday night against the Connecticut Sun.

--Field Level Media