Napheesa Collier
A complete and graceful forward who evolved from a UConn champion into a WNBA superstar and a visionary founder shaping the future of women's basketball.
Born 1996 (age 30)·American basketball player·Birthday: September 23·Millennials
Biography
Napheesa Collier arrived in the WNBA with the polished, winning pedigree of a UConn Husky and immediately looked like she belonged. With the Minnesota Lynx, her game was a study in quiet efficiency—a seamless blend of post moves, mid-range jumpers, defensive instincts, and rebounding. She didn't just fill a stat sheet; she controlled the flow of the game with a poised, cerebral approach. Her impact expanded off the court, where she emerged as a leader. Alongside Breanna Stewart, she co-founded Unrivaled, a new professional league designed to offer players more agency, visibility, and competitive opportunities during the WNBA offseason. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Collier's legacy is being written not only through her all-around play but through her role as an architect for the next era of her sport.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Napheesa was born in 1996, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Napheesa Was Born
The biggest hits of 1996
#1 Movie
Independence Day
Best Picture
The English Patient
#1 TV Show
ER
Napheesa's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1996Born
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2001Started school
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2009Became a teenager
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Could drive
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2014Could vote
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Turned 21
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Turned 30
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded the Unrivaled professional women's basketball league with fellow star Breanna Stewart.
- Won two Olympic gold medals with the USA Basketball women's national team (Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024).
- Named the WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2019 after being drafted 6th overall by the Minnesota Lynx.
- Earned WNBA All-Star honors and was named to the All-WNBA First Team in 2024.
Did You Know?
She won two NCAA national championships while playing for the University of Connecticut (2015, 2016).
Her nickname is 'Phee.'
She gave birth to her daughter, Mila, in 2023 and returned to the Lynx shortly after.
In college, she was a two-time winner of the Katrina McClain Award as the nation's best power forward.
“I just try to be solid and do whatever my team needs to win.”
