The Minnesota Lynx have grown from a 1999 expansion franchise into one of the most successful organizations in WNBA history. Their story includes four WNBA championships, multiple league MVPs, a remarkable collection of WNBA championships, one of the longest coaching tenures in professional basketball, and a championship core that remained together for much of the 2010s.
The Lynx were announced as a WNBA expansion franchise in April 1998 and began play in 1999. Their home throughout their history has been Target Center in downtown Minneapolis, with the exception of the 2020 COVID-19 season, when the entire WNBA season was played at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
The Beginning of the Minnesota Lynx
Minnesota received a WNBA expansion franchise in 1998 along with the Orlando Miracle. The new Minnesota team was named the Lynx in December 1998.
The franchise played its first game on June 12, 1999, defeating the Detroit Shock 68-51 at Target Center. Minnesota finished its first season 15-17.
The early years were difficult. The Lynx went 15-17 again in 2000 and fell to 12-20 in 2001. After beginning the 2002 season 6-13, the team replaced original head coach Brian Agler with Heidi VanDerveer on an interim basis.
The franchise began to change direction under Suzie McConnell Serio, who became head coach for the 2003 season. Minnesota made the playoffs in both 2003 and 2004, and McConnell Serio won the 2004 WNBA Coach of the Year Award.
The Lynx were still searching for the formula that would eventually make them a championship team.
That formula arrived in stages.
Lynx Ownership History
Glen Taylor — 1999-2025
Glen Taylor was the original controlling owner associated with the Lynx. Taylor had purchased the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1994 and operated the Lynx when the franchise began play in 1999.
In October 2002, Taylor became the majority owner of the Lynx after the WNBA’s ownership structure changed.
Taylor and his wife, Becky, remained associated with the franchise for more than two decades. During that period, the Lynx won all four of their WNBA championships.
Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez — 2025-Present
In June 2025, NBA approval was given for Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez to take control of the Timberwolves and Lynx from Taylor.
For the Lynx, Rodriguez became the governor and Lore the alternate governor.
The ownership change ended the Taylor era, which had lasted from the franchise’s beginnings through four championship seasons.
Home Arenas
Target Center — Minneapolis, Minnesota
Target Center has been the Lynx’s primary home since the franchise began in 1999.
The downtown Minneapolis arena opened in 1990 and is also home to the Minnesota Timberwolves. It underwent a major renovation in 2017.
The Lynx won all four of their WNBA championships while playing their home games at Target Center.
IMG Academy — Bradenton, Florida
The 2020 season was the exception.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire WNBA season was moved to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Games were played without normal in-person attendance.
The Lynx went 14-8 during the unusual 2020 season and reached the semifinals.
After 2020, the Lynx returned to Target Center.
The Lynx’s Four WNBA Championships
2011 — defeated Atlanta Dream, 3-0
2013 — defeated Atlanta Dream, 3-0
2015 — defeated Indiana Fever, 3-2
2017 — defeated Los Angeles Sparks, 3-2
The four championships franchises of the 2010s.
The Lynx also reached the WNBA Finals in 2016, losing to the Los Angeles Sparks, and returned to the Finals in 2024, losing a five-game series to the New York Liberty.
2011: The First Championship
The 2011 season changed the history of the franchise.
Minnesota went 27-7, a dramatic 14-game improvement from 2010. Rookie Maya Moore joined Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen and Rebekkah Brunson to form the foundation of the championship team.
The Lynx swept Atlanta in the Finals.
Seimone Augustus averaged 24.6 points per game in the Finals and won Finals MVP.
Maya Moore was named Rookie of the Year.
Cheryl Reeve was named Coach of the Year.
2013: Championship No. 2
Minnesota again swept Atlanta in the Finals.
Maya Moore was named Finals MVP after averaging 20 points and six rebounds during the series.
The 2013 team was particularly impressive defensively, holding Atlanta to an average of only 66.3 points per game in the Finals.
2015: Championship No. 3
The 2015 championship was different.
Minnesota faced the Indiana Fever in a five-game Finals series. The Lynx won Game 5 at Target Center.
Sylvia Fowles, acquired by Minnesota during the season in a trade with Chicago, became the difference-maker inside and was named Finals MVP.
One of the most famous plays in franchise history also occurred earlier in the series.
With Game 3 tied against Indiana, Maya Moore hit a three-pointer from the top of the key at the buzzer to give Minnesota the victory.
2017: Championship No. 4
The 2017 Lynx finished 27-7 and returned to the Finals for a rematch with Los Angeles.
Minnesota won Game 5 at home, 85-76, to capture its fourth championship.
Sylvia Fowles was named both WNBA MVP and Finals MVP.
The victory gave Minnesota its fourth championship and placed the franchise alongside the Houston Comets as the only teams at the time with four WNBA titles.
Major WNBA Award Winners While With Minnesota
The Lynx have produced an extraordinary collection of league award winners.
WNBA Most Valuable Player
Maya Moore — 2014
Moore became the first Lynx player to win the league MVP award in 2014.
Sylvia Fowles — 2017
Fowles followed Moore three years later. She led Minnesota to a 27-7 record while winning both regular-season MVP and Finals MVP.
WNBA Rookie of the Year The Lynx have had five Rookie of the Year winners:
Betty Lennox — 2000
Seimone Augustus — 2006
Maya Moore — 2011
Napheesa Collier — 2019
Crystal Dangerfield — 2020
That gives Minnesota one of the deepest Rookie of the Year histories in the league.
Defensive Player of the Year
Sylvia Fowles — 2016
Sylvia Fowles — 2021
Napheesa Collier — 2024
Fowles became one of the defining defensive centers of her generation, while Collier added the award during Minnesota’s return to the top of the Western Conference.
Sixth Woman of the Year
Candice Wiggins — 2008
Wiggins became the first Lynx player to win the Sixth Woman of the Year award.
Coach of the Year
Suzie McConnell Serio — 2004
Cheryl Reeve — 2011
Cheryl Reeve — 2016
Cheryl Reeve — 2020
Cheryl Reeve — 2024
Reeve’s four Coach of the Year awards are particularly significant because they came across different generations of Lynx teams.
Executive of the Year
Cheryl Reeve — 2019 and 2024
Reeve eventually combined her coaching duties with front-office responsibilities and became one of the central architects of the Lynx organization.
Commissioner’s Cup MVP
Napheesa Collier — 2024
Collier was named MVP when Minnesota defeated the New York Liberty 94-89 in the 2024 Commissioner’s Cup championship.
WNBA Finals MVPs From Minnesota
Minnesota’s championship teams produced four different Finals MVP performances:
2011 — Seimone Augustus
2013 — Maya Moore
2015 — Sylvia Fowles
2017 — Sylvia Fowles
Fowles is the only Lynx player to win the award twice.
The Best Lynx Drafts
Minnesota’s success was heavily connected to its ability to draft and develop elite players.
2006 Draft — Seimone Augustus
No. 1 overall: Seimone Augustus
This was one of the most important selections in franchise history.
Augustus immediately became the face of the organization and eventually became the Lynx’s all-time leading scorer.
She remained with Minnesota through the 2019 season, won a championship, became a Finals MVP, made multiple All-Star teams and became one of the most recognizable players in franchise history.
How she fared: Outstanding. Augustus became a franchise cornerstone and one of the greatest players in Lynx history.
2008 Draft — Candice Wiggins and Nicky Anosike
No. 3: Candice Wiggins
No. 16: Nicky Anosike
Wiggins won Sixth Woman of the Year in 2008.
Anosike became an important defensive and rebounding player and made the 2009 All-Star team.
How they fared: Very productive draft. Neither became a franchise superstar on the level of Augustus or Moore, but both made significant contributions.
2010 Draft — Monica Wright
No. 2: Monica Wright
Wright became an important two-way guard and member of the championship-era roster.
She eventually became part of Minnesota’s championship rotation and developed into one of the better defensive guards on the team.
How she fared: Strong contributor, particularly on defense and during the championship years.
2011 Draft — Maya Moore
No. 1: Maya Moore
This is arguably the most important draft selection in Lynx history.
Moore arrived from Connecticut as one of the most accomplished college players in basketball history.
She won Rookie of the Year, an MVP, two Finals MVP-level championship performances, four championships, five All-WNBA First Team selections and multiple All-Star honors during her eight seasons in Minnesota.
How she fared: Franchise-changing.
2019 Draft — Napheesa Collier
No. 6: Napheesa Collier
Collier became Rookie of the Year in 2019 and quickly developed into a franchise cornerstone.
She became an All-Star, All-WNBA player and Defensive Player of the Year.
She also emerged as the central star of the post-Maya Moore/Sylvia Fowles era.
How she fared: Excellent. Collier became the next major Lynx superstar.
Other Notable Lynx Draft Picks
Minnesota’s draft history includes several other important selections:
Katie Smith — 1999
Svetlana Abrosimova — 2001
Betty Lennox — 2000
Nicole Ohlde — 2004
Renee Montgomery — 2009
Kelsey Griffin — 2010
Crystal Dangerfield — 2020
Diamond Miller — 2023
Dorka Juhász — 2023
The Lynx have also been effective at finding contributors outside the top of the draft.
Players Who Became Bigger Stars After Leaving Minnesota
One particularly interesting part of Lynx history is the number of talented players who had relatively small roles in Minnesota but later became more prominent elsewhere.
Sugar Rodgers
Rodgers was selected by Minnesota with the 14th overall pick in 2013.
She played only a limited role as a rookie on the championship team.
Minnesota traded her to the New York Liberty in 2014.
With New York, Rodgers developed into a much larger offensive contributor. In 2016 she averaged 14.5 points per game and made 86 three-pointers.
In 2017 she became a WNBA All-Star and won Sixth Woman of the Year.
This is one of the clearest examples of a Lynx draft pick developing into a significantly bigger individual star after leaving Minnesota.
Nicky Anosike
Anosike was Minnesota’s 16th overall selection in 2008.
She started all her games in three seasons with the Lynx and made the 2009 All-Star team before being traded to Washington.
She was a strong rebounder and defender and had her best statistical season with Minnesota in 2009.
Janell Burse
Burse was drafted by Minnesota in 2001.
She eventually became an important WNBA player with Seattle and was part of the Storm’s championship teams.
Her greatest professional success came after leaving Minnesota.
Former Lynx Players Who Later Became WNBA MVPs
There is an important distinction here.
No player traded away by Minnesota subsequently won the WNBA regular-season MVP award for another team.
The Lynx’s two regular-season MVPs, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles, both won the award as Minnesota players.
Several other MVPs have had connections to Minnesota, but those situations do not fit the description of a player being traded away by Minnesota and then becoming league MVP elsewhere.
The Most Notable Lynx Coaches
Brian Agler
Agler was the franchise’s first head coach and coached the Lynx from 1999 through part of 2002.
He established the organization during its expansion years.
Suzie McConnell Serio
McConnell Serio coached from 2003 through 2006.
She led Minnesota to its first winning season and first playoff appearances and won Coach of the Year in 2004.
The Five Most Outstanding Lynx PlayersJennifer Gillom
Gillom coached the Lynx in 2009.
Her tenure lasted only one season, but it was the bridge between the franchise’s early years and the championship era.
Cheryl Reeve
Reeve is the defining coach in Lynx history.
She became head coach in 2010 and transformed Minnesota into a perennial championship contender.
Under Reeve, Minnesota won championships in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017.
She also won Coach of the Year four times.
Reeve eventually became president of basketball operations as well as head coach.
Her tenure connected the Augustus era, the Moore era, the Fowles era and the Collier era.
1. Maya Moore
Lynx career: 2011-2018
Moore is one of the defining players in WNBA history.
With Minnesota she won:
Four WNBA championships
WNBA MVP
Rookie of the Year
Two Finals MVP awards
Five All-WNBA First Team selections
Multiple All-Star selections
Moore left professional basketball in the prime of her career after the 2018 season.
She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025.
Most outstanding Lynx play: 2015 Finals Game 3 buzzer-beater
With Minnesota and Indiana tied late in Game 3 of the 2015 Finals, Moore received the ball near the top of the key and knocked down a three-pointer at the buzzer.
The shot gave Minnesota a 2-1 series lead.
It remains one of the most famous shots in WNBA Finals history.
2. Seimone Augustus Lynx career: 2006-2019
Augustus was the first great superstar drafted by Minnesota.
She was the No. 1 overall pick in 2006 and immediately became an elite scorer.
She finished her Lynx career as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.
She won:
2006 Rookie of the Year
2011 WNBA Finals MVP
Four WNBA championships
Multiple All-WNBA selections
Multiple All-Star selections
She was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.
Most outstanding Lynx play: 2011 Finals Game 2
Augustus scored a career playoff-high 36 points against Atlanta in Game 2 of the 2011 Finals.
Her performance helped Minnesota move toward its first championship.
3. Sylvia Fowles
Lynx career: 2015-2022
Fowles arrived in Minnesota in the middle of the 2015 season and immediately transformed the team’s interior defense and rebounding.
She won two championships with Minnesota, plus regular-season MVP and Finals MVP in 2017.
She also won Defensive Player of the Year twice while with the Lynx.
Fowles retired as one of the greatest centers in WNBA history.
Most outstanding Lynx play: 2017 Finals Game 5
Fowles dominated the deciding game against Los Angeles as Minnesota won its fourth championship.
Her interior defense, rebounding and scoring controlled the game and completed one of the greatest individual seasons in franchise history.
4. Lindsay Whalen
Lynx career: 2010-2018
Whalen was acquired from Connecticut in 2010 in a trade involving the No. 1 overall pick.
Connecticut used that pick on Tina Charles.
Whalen became the point guard and floor leader of the championship-era Lynx.
She won four championships with Minnesota and became the franchise’s all-time assists leader.
Her No. 13 jersey was retired by Minnesota in 2019.
Most outstanding Lynx play: 2011 championship run
Whalen’s greatest contribution was her control of the offense during the 2011 championship season.
Her ability to organize Augustus, Moore and Brunson helped transform Minnesota from a struggling franchise into a champion.
5. Rebekkah Brunson
Lynx career: 2010-2018
Brunson was one of the most important players in the Lynx dynasty despite receiving less national attention than Moore, Augustus or Whalen.
She was an elite rebounder, defender and physical presence.
Brunson won four championships with Minnesota and five championships during her career, including one with Sacramento.
She retired as the WNBA’s career leader in total rebounds and offensive rebounds.
Her No. 32 was retired by Minnesota.
Most outstanding Lynx play: the championship-era rebounding battles
Brunson’s defining contribution was her ability to dominate the offensive glass.
Her rebounding repeatedly created extra possessions for Minnesota’s elite scorers and became one of the foundations of the team’s championship formula.
Napheesa Collier and the Next Generation
Although the five players above represent the foundation of the Lynx dynasty, Napheesa Collier deserves special recognition as the player who carried the franchise into its next era.
Drafted sixth overall in 2019, Collier immediately won Rookie of the Year.
She later became an All-Star, All-WNBA selection and Defensive Player of the Year.
In 2024, she led Minnesota back to the WNBA Finals and was named MVP of the Commissioner’s Cup.
The Lynx’s ability to transition from the Moore-Fowles generation to Collier without undergoing a prolonged rebuilding period is one of the most interesting aspects of the franchise’s history.
The 2023 Draft
The 2023 draft produced two players who became part of Minnesota’s next generation:
Diamond Miller — No. 2 overall
Dorka Juhász — No. 16 overall
Miller’s athleticism and scoring ability gave Minnesota another high-upside perimeter player.
Juhász provided size, rebounding and interior versatility.
Both were named to the All-Rookie Team.
The 2024 Lynx
Minnesota returned to the top of the WNBA standings in 2024.
The Lynx finished the regular season 30-10 and returned to the WNBA Finals.
Napheesa Collier won Defensive Player of the Year.
Cheryl Reeve won both Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year.
Minnesota also won the Commissioner’s Cup, defeating the New York Liberty 94-89.
The Lynx ultimately lost the WNBA Finals to New York in five games.
The season nevertheless represented an important transition: Minnesota had moved from being a veteran championship dynasty to becoming a contender built around Collier and a younger supporting cast.
The 2025 Season
The Lynx continued their strong run in 2025, finishing the regular season 34-10.
That record tied the WNBA record for most regular-season victories.
The organization also experienced a major change off the court when Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez took control of the franchise from Glen Taylor.
Minnesota reached the Commissioner’s Cup championship game for the second consecutive year but lost to the Indiana Fever.
The 2026 Lynx
By September 2026, Minnesota remained one of the WNBA’s strongest regular-season teams.
The Lynx entered the final portion of the regular season with a 32-11 record and remained in contention near the top of the Western Conference.
The 2026 draft also brought another major prospect to Minnesota when the Lynx selected Olivia Miles with the second overall pick.
The organization therefore entered its next phase with Collier as its established centerpiece and Miles among the newest additions.
Minnesota has retired five jersey numbers:
No. 13 — Lindsay Whalen
No. 23 — Maya Moore
No. 32 — Rebekkah Brunson
No. 33 — Seimone Augustus
No. 34 — Sylvia Fowles
Those five numbers represent the central players of the franchise’s championship era.
Lynx Hall of Famers
Players associated with Minnesota who are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame include:
Katie Smith, Teresa Edwards, Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore, and Sylvia Fowles. The franchise has therefore had an extraordinary concentration of Hall of Fame talent.
The Lynx Legacy
The history of the Minnesota Lynx can be divided into several distinct eras.
The 1999-2005 era was the expansion and development period.
The 2006-2009 era began with Seimone Augustus and saw the organization establish a foundation of talented players.
The 2010-2018 era was the championship dynasty. Augustus, Whalen, Moore, Brunson and Fowles became the core of one of the WNBA’s greatest teams.
The 2019-present era has been defined by Napheesa Collier and a new generation of players.
The remarkable part is that Minnesota did not simply have one championship team. It built multiple championship-level teams around different stars. Four championships in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 established the Lynx as a WNBA dynasty. Maya Moore provided superstar scoring and versatility. Seimone Augustus provided elite scoring and leadership. Lindsay Whalen directed the offense. Rebekkah Brunson controlled the boards. Sylvia Fowles dominated the interior. Cheryl Reeve provided the coaching and organizational continuity. Napheesa Collier has become the bridge to the next generation.
That combination of drafting, player development, trades, coaching continuity and organizational stability explains why the Minnesota Lynx have remained one of the defining franchises in WNBA history. The key historical details above were checked against the Lynx/ WNBA records, including the franchise’s award history, complete draft history, coaching record, ownership transition, arena history and championship record.
Artie Fischal
