The Minnesota Lynx have not allowed last year’s agonizing overtime defeat to the New York Liberty in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals to fade from memory. That loss continues to power the franchise’s relentless climb back to championship contention, a mission shepherded all winter by general manager Clare Duwelius. Every move the front office made—especially the additions aimed at sharpening Minnesota’s perimeter attack—was designed to turn heartbreak into hardware. Unfortunately, one of those key offseason pickups just received devastating medical news.
Veteran sharpshooter Karlie Samuelson will miss the rest of the 2025 campaign after doctors determined she needs surgery to repair a Lisfranc fracture in her left foot, an injury she sustained early in the June 29 win over the Connecticut Sun. The diagnosis, first reported by Mitchell Hansen of Hitting the Hardwood, arrives only months after Minnesota shipped a 2026 first-round draft pick to the Washington Mystics to secure Samuelson’s elite three-point touch and her steady veteran presence.
Although her production had dipped—Samuelson was shooting 33.3 percent overall and 35.3 percent from deep through 16 games—her impact reached far beyond the stat sheet. She drilled timely threes, provided vocal leadership in practice, and fortified Cheryl Reeve’s second unit with a work ethic younger teammates eagerly mirrored. Even on a roster that leads the league at 36.2 percent from long range, replacing her experience and reliable floor spacing presents a real challenge that will force Reeve to recalibrate her rotation.
The Lynx at least possess a cushion while they sort out those adjustments: ignoring the Commissioner’s Cup loss to the Indiana Fever, Minnesota has dropped only two regular-season games and currently owns the WNBA’s best record. MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier is steering a fiercely driven squad, one that views every night as another step toward unfinished business.
Losing Samuelson undoubtedly stings, but Minnesota can transform this setback into fresh resolve. As the guard begins what the team hopes is a smooth recovery, she will remain a source of encouragement from the sidelines. For a club already fueled by last season’s near-miss, adversity may once again sharpen its focus—and keep the ultimate prize within reach.
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