Each week in March, the Minnesota Lynx are recognizing players as part of the All-25 Team in Lynx history in honor of the franchise’s 25th season. Here’s a look at the second five.
In honor of the 25th anniversary of the inception of the Minnesota Lynx this summer, the organization is recognizing the top 25 players throughout franchise history during the month of March.
Each week of the month, Minnesota is highlighting five players as part of the All-25 Team, accompanied by a social media campaign pointing out their contributions to the Lynx franchise on the court and off.
To be qualified for the Lynx All-25 Team, the honor is strictly statistical and award-based, with the list being comprised of players who have scored more than 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, started over 50 games, were members of two or more WNBA Championship teams, represented Minnesota in the WNBA All-Star Game or were end-of-season WNBA award winners while playing for the Lynx.
Last week, in the announcement of the first five All-25 players, Nicky Anosike, Crystal Dangerfield, Charde Houston, Devereaux Peters and Odyssey Sims kicked off the list of players.
This week, the Lynx announced the second set of players on the All-25 Team. Here’s a look at who made this week’s list.
our second set of five.
5️⃣ » https://t.co/yiShNiNTpz pic.twitter.com/QHsmYNpmh2
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) March 13, 2023
Damiris Dantas
The first player on the list of players to crack the second wave of top 25 players is forward Damiris Dantas, who has played for the Lynx on two different occasions and remains on the roster ahead of the 2023 season. Dantas broke into the WNBA in 2014 after being drafted by Minnesota with the 12th pick in the first round of the 2014 WNBA Draft.
In her rookie season in 2014, Dantas appeared in 30 games and started in 23, averaging six points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest. In 2015, she appeared in 16 games with the Lynx before being traded to the Atlanta Dream in a three-team deal that sent Sylvia Fowles to Minnesota from Chicago. In 2019, Dantas returned to the Lynx via free agency and remains with the team to date, averaging 5.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists in just 15 games in 2022. Her best season in Minnesota came in 2020 when she averaged career-highs of 12.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 22 contests.
Over her eight-year career, five-plus seasons have been with the Lynx. The other two-plus years was spent with Atlanta from 2015-18. In 2023, Dantas will kick off her ninth year as a professional at the age of 30.
Tonya Edwards
The next player to be named to the All-25 Team is guard Tonya Edwards, who played with the Lynx for one season in 1999 and spent four season in the WNBA before retiring in 2002. Edwards entered the professional level in 1999 when she was drafted by Minnesota with the seventh overall pick in the draft out of Tennessee.
In her brief time with the Lynx, Edwards shined during what was her only All-Star season as a rookie in 1999. While starting that season in all 32 regular-season games, the then 31-year-old averaged career-highs of 14.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
Edwards’ time with the Lynx came to an end after that 1999 campaign when she was traded with Adia Barnes and Trisha Fallon to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Marlies Askamp, Kristi Harrower and Angela Aycock. Over her career, Edwards averaged nine points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 125 games with Minnesota, Phoenix and the Charlotte Sting.
Kayla McBride
Next on the second wave of top players in franchise history is guard Kayla McBride, who is set to take the court for her third season with the Lynx in 2023. McBride entered the WNBA in 2014 when she was drafted by the San Antonio Stars with the third overall pick out of Notre Dame.
After spending her first seven seasons in the league with San Antonio and then the Las Vegas Aces, McBride arrived in Minnesota in 2021 when she signed with the Lynx as a free agent. Over two seasons in Minnesota, McBride has averaged 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists over 63 games. In 2022, she started and played in 31 games, tallying 13.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and one steal per contest.
In 2023, McBride is set to begin her 10th season in the league and third with the Lynx, looking to add her fourth All-Star selection at the age of 30.
Janel McCarville
Fan favorite and former University of Minnesota Gophers center Janel McCarville is next on the list of All-25 Team members, having played for the Lynx from 2013-16 before retiring in 2016. She broke into the WNBA in 2005 after being selected by the Charlotte Sting with the first overall selection in the draft.
McCarville spent the first two years of her career with Charlotte before entering the dispersal draft due to the Sting ceasing operations. After being selected in that draft by the New York Liberty, the center spent four year in the Big Apple before being traded to the Lynx in 2013 as part of a five-team trade that included Minnesota trading away Candice Wiggins.
With the Lynx, McCarville averaged 5.9 points, 3.9 rebound and 2.5 assists over 99 games in three seasons while helping Minnesota to its second WNBA title in 2013. Her best season. in a Lynx uniform came in 2014 when she tallied 7.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, a career-high 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals over 34 games. McCarville retired in 2016 after nine years in the WNBA.
Renee Montgomery
Another fan favorite, guard Renee Montgomery, is the final player to round out the second wave of top 25 players, having spent two different stints with the Lynx over the course of her 11-year career that concluded in 2019. Montgomery cracked into the pro game in 2009 after being drafted by Minnesota with the fourth overall pick in the draft out of UConn.
During her rookie season, Montgomery tallied nine points, 2.1 assists and 1.9 rebounds over 34 games while earning All-Rookie Team honors. Her time in Minnesota was brief the first time around after being traded to the Connecticut Sun in 2010 as part of a trade that returned Lindsay Whalen to the Lynx. Montgomery went on to play five seasons in Connecticut and a half of a season in Seattle before being traded back to Minnesota in 2015 in exchange for Monica Wright.
From 2015-17, Montgomery played a key role coming off the bench for the Lynx while helping the team win two WNBA titles in 2015 and 2017. Her best season in Minnesota came in 2017 when she averaged eight points, 3.4 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 34 games. In 2019, Montgomery retired after two seasons with the Atlanta Dream, compiling career averages of 9.7 points, 3.1 assists, 1.7 rebounds and one steal over 364 games.
Currently, Montgomery spends her post-playing career as a sports broadcaster as well as vice president and part-owner of the Atlanta Dream. She is the first WNBA player to become an owner and executive of a team.
Minnesota Lynx All-25 Team
(Through March 13)
- Damiris Dantas
- Tonya Edwards
- Kayla McBride
- Janel McCarville
- Renee Montgomery
- Nicky Anosike
- Crystal Dangerfield
- Charde Houston
- Devereaux Peters
- Odyssey Sims
All-25 Team Articles
- Minnesota Lynx All-25 Team: Part I
- Minnesota Lynx All-25 Team: Part III (coming soon)
- Minnesota Lynx All-25 Team: Part IV (coming soon)
- Minnesota Lynx All-25 Team: Part V (coming soon)