Each week, we will provide an update on the Minnesota Lynx players overseas and how they are performing as part of our Lynx Offseason Update series.
The WNBA season is officially here, with the WNBA Draft taking place Monday night and the start of training camp kicking off in a few short weeks.
As we prepare for what rosters will look like around the league before training camp and the start of the preseason, players are starting to wrap up their seasons overseas before the 2024 W campaign tips off.
Six Lynx players have continued their seasons overseas. Some of the players are currently on the roster, played with the team in 2023 or have played with the team in the past and are still under team control.
Players across the globe currently playing include Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Dorka Juhász, Maia Hirsch, Bridget Carleton and Cecilia Zandalasini playing in Turkey, Italy, Hungary and France this offseason. Alanna Smith had been playing in Emlak Konut SK in Turkey, but her season has since concluded.
In last week’s update, we highlighted Collier and McBride nearing a title in Turkey, Juhász putting together a balanced outing in Italy and more.
Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride
Istanbul, Turkey
Domination continues for Collier, McBride and Fenerbahçe in the Turkey-KBSL this offseason, with the duo leading the way for their Turkish squad in the EuroLeague playoffs. For the second year in a row, Fenerbahçe came out on top of the EuroLeague, claiming its second EuroLeague title.
Fenerbahçe opened the past week with a semifinal matchup against CBK Mersin in the EuroLeague playoffs on April 12, coming away with an 89-80 win. In that contest, McBride posted a team-high 25 points to go along with six rebounds, five assists and two steals over 37 minutes, while Collier recorded 12 points in 33 minutes.
In the EuroLeague championship on April 14, Fenerbahçe took down Villeneuve d’Ascq 106-73 to claim the title. In the championship victory, Collier tallied a team-best 33 points to go along with eight rebounds, four assists and one steal over 28 minutes. McBride had a well-rounded outing, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and one steal over 35 minutes while also being named EuroLeague Final Four MVP.
KAYLA MCBRIDE IS YOUR FINAL FOUR MVP ⭐
THAT’S THE TWEET #EUROLEAGUEWOMEN
— EuroLeague Women (@EuroLeagueWomen) April 14, 2024
Along with the success over the week, McBride also received season-long recognition by the EuroLeague, earning All-EuroLeague First Team honors along with four other players.
The cream of the crop
Who is your favorite one among the All-#EuroLeagueWomen First Team players? ⭐ pic.twitter.com/rkcYZYGhEo
— EuroLeague Women (@EuroLeagueWomen) April 13, 2024
With the EuroLeague playoffs now over, Fenerbahçe’s shifts focus to the Turkey-KBSL Final on April 17 against CBK Mersin.
Dorka Juhász
Schio, Italy
Juhász has continued to provide Famila Schio with strong performances this offseason, doing so again over the past week while taking the court in one game.
Famila Schio blew out Battipaglia 101-51 in Italy-Serie A1 action on April 14, with Juhász tallying a near double-double of 11 points, a team-high-tying nine rebounds, three assists and two steals over 19 minutes.
Juhász and Famila Schio will return to the court this week with two Italy-Serie A1 games, facing Oxygen Roma on April 17 before taking on Sanga Milano on April 20.
Bridget Carleton
Györ, Hungary
Carleton and UNI Györ have been dominating in postseason action in Hungary over the past few weeks after completing a 2-0 sweep of Vasas Csata in the quarterfinals at the end of March with Carleton leading the way for her squad in those pair of victories.
This past week, UNI Györ had the week off while awaiting the resumption of the playoffs. UNI Györ will begin the semifinal round against Atomeromu KSC Szekszard on April 20 for a chance to potentially reach to the finals later this month.
This offseason, Carleton has averaged 17.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals over eight EuroLeague contests, adding 14.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals over 13 Hungary-A Division games.
Cecilia Zandalasini
Bologna, Italy
As we await to see if Zandalasini, who last played for the Lynx in 2018, joins Minnesota once her overseas play concludes, the Italian forward has been playing with Virtus Segafredo Bologna this offseason for the third year in a row.
In one game over the past week, Virtus Segafredo Bologna topped San Giovanni 60-49 in Italy-Serie A1 action on April 14. In that contest, Zandalasini struggled shooting from the field, ending with five points, four assists, two rebounds and one block over 27 minutes.
This week, Zandalasini and Virtus Segrafredo Bologna will take on Campobasso in Italy-Serie A1 play on April 20.
Maïa Hirsch
Villeneuve d’Ascq, France
Hirsch remains in France for Villeneuve d’Ascq this offseason as we wait to see if she ultimately decides to join the Lynx and the WNBA this summer. However, Hirsch hasn’t appeared in a game since Dec. 13 as she deals with injury issues.
Over the past week, Villeneuve d’Ascq two EuroLeague playoff games on the schedule, battling USK Prague and Fenerbahçe in postseason action. As mentioned, Hirsch didn’t take the court in the contest and she remains out.
This offseason, Hirsch has averaged 7.0 points and 3.3 rebounds over 18.2 minutes in nine France-LFB games, also tallying 5.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists over 16.5 minutes in eight EuroLeague contests.