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Napheesa Collier's Elite WNBA Playoffs Has Fans Doubting A'ja Wilson's Unanimous MVP

Fans aren't happy about Lynx star Napheesa Collier getting little love in the 2024 WNBA MVP voting.

Grant Young

Oct 4, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) dribbles the ball during the first half against the Connecticut Sun during game three of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Oct 4, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) dribbles the ball during the first half against the Connecticut Sun during game three of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Lynx advanced to the WNBA Finals after their decisive 88-77 Game 5 win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday.

Per usual, Minnesota was led by superstar Napheesa Collier. She finished the game with 27 points on 10-16 from the floor while also adding 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks to her final tally. She was matched up against Sun star Alyssa Thomas but thoroughly outplayed her on both ends of the court.

Given Collier's form throughout these WNBA playoffs, her out-classing Thomas should not come as a surprise. The 28-year-old former UConn Husky has arguably been the league's best player in the postseason, which is proven by her staggering 27.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game averages over 7 contests.

Collier finished as the runner-up in the 2024 WNBA MVP voting behind Aces superstar A'ja Wilson. Yet, Wilson having earned unanimous MVP honors meant that Collier didn't receive a single first-place vote.

And fans are lamenting this over social media.

X user @slowlyslide went viral on Tuesday for posting a photo of Collier and her stat line at one point during Game 5 with the caption, "Not even one MVP vote is insane".

She went on to clarify that she meant not one first-place vote.

X user @MclovinHawaiii added, "The wnba media really lied to you about napheesa collier not deserving a first place mvp vote and you believed them."

"Imagine Napheesa Collier leading her team to a ring all the while not receiving ONE MVP vote," noted a third fan.

While Collier's postseason performance obviously can't alter the 2024 WNBA MVP voting, she'd surely prefer winning a championship over earning a few first-place votes.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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