The tides are shifting in the W, and the Minnesota Lynx are right in the middle of it. A slow build, a gradual grind–that’s what Cheryl Reeve has put her faith into. And credit where credit is due? It has worked out! From missing the playoffs in 2022 to now coming off a finals run, the Lynx have certainly evolved. Napheesa Collier’s consistent heroics and an All-Star ensemble have made the team incredibly dangerous this year as well, putting them on the fast track to a potential championship.

This entire process has been carefully planned and executed by the Lynx front office and Cheryl Reeve. They’ve accumulated draft capital, traded young projects for win-now pieces like DiJonai Carrington, and are gearing up to bring another parade to Minnesota. But they’re keeping the future safe as well! There’s a chance that the Lynx might get the first-overall pick in 2026 even if they reach the promised land… A scary thought, right? Let’s find out how it all might go down.

How could the Minnesota Lynx dominate the season and capture the WNBA title?

Just to make one thing clear, the Minnesota Lynx are already dominating the 2025 WNBA season. Following their most recent win against the defending champs, New York Liberty, Cheryl Reeve’s team is 27-5 (0.84375 PCT), stomping anyone in their way. They came into this season with high expectations after showcasing exactly what they were capable of last year: A commissioner’s cup, a finals appearance, and an incredible 30-10 record.

This year has been more of the same. Even with Collier’s concerning injury status, Kayla McBridge, DiJonai Carrington, Courtney Williams, and the entire squad are stepping up to make their presence felt. Minnesota’s spacing is brilliant, and they shoot threes at a very high volume, and an equally high clip.

They use weak-side flare screens, dribble hand-offs, and strong-side pin downs to get their shooters open, which resulted in an astounding 36.8% from the three on over 26 attempts per game! And all the credit goes to the 2024 WNBA Coach of the Year, Cheryl Reeve.

Cheryl Reeve’s offensive system, comprising the corner offense, horns, and other tactics, has been evolving as well. The Lynx head coach employed a five-out strategy from 2024 onwards, which has been crucial in their dominating performance this year. Through Reeve’s coaching brilliance, Collier gets to run the offense, shoot the ball, and find open lanes to drive through, while the rest of the team provides incredible spacing.

Minnesota’s five-game winning streak is no joke, and this momentum could lead to their first championship since 2017. Long-awaited and well-deserved. If they do win, there’s a definite chance that Cheryl Reeve can start a dynasty in the WNBA. Especially considering that they might get the first overall pick next year because of some smart dealings with Chicago.

How could the Lynx still land the No. 1 draft pick through the lottery?

In 2024, Chicago made a deal with the devil (Read: the Minnesota Lynx) to bring in Angel Reese. They traded their eighth-overall pick, a 2025 second-rounder, Sika Kone, and the rights to swap first-round picks in 2026. However, the thought of a Baton Rouge reunion was too tempting to pass up for Jeff Pagliocca, who had his eye on guard Hailey Van Lith. To make that possible, he gave up the rights to the Sky’s 2026 first-rounder entirely in exchange for the number 11 pick this year.

So, considering that Minnesota has Chicago’s pick next year, what can we expect? It would be an understatement to say that the Sky is playing poorly. Angel Reese and company are currently 8-23–one of the worst teams in the entire league. And the way that the WNBA draft lottery works, the Lynx would want Chi-Town to fail as miserably as possible.

If Chicago ends up as the worst team heading into the lottery, it will have a 44.2% chance of getting the first-overall pick. Similarly, the second-worst team has a 27.6% chance, the third-worst 17.8%, and the fourth-worst 10.4%. Considering that the W looks at the past two seasons, there’s a pretty high chance that the Chicago Sky will end up in the bottom 4, barring any unexpected tanking efforts during the latter half of this season.

Interestingly enough, it won’t be the first time this has happened. In 2019, the Las Vegas Aces reached the WNBA semi-finals and still procured the number 1 overall pick! It will be interesting to see whether history repeats itself, and if Chicago’s front-office decisions will lead to the establishment of a major dynasty for the W.