Kayla McBride Gets Emotional Over Napheesa Collier And Courtney Williams After Lynx Exit

Kayla McBride had an emotional moment with Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams after the Minnesota Lynx were eliminated from the 2026 WNBA playoffs. The Lynx lost 87-71 to the New York Liberty in Game 2 on September 29, ending their season with a two-game sweep. Afterward, McBride spoke about the close bond she has built with Collier and Williams during their time together in Minnesota. Her comments came after the Lynx became the first No. 1 seed to lose a first-round series to a No. 8 seed under the WNBA's current playoff format. 

Kayla McBride Shares Emotional Words For Napheesa Collier And Courtney Williams

The final moments of the Lynx season brought McBride, Collier and Williams together on the court. The three players embraced after the loss, and McBride later explained that the moment was about much more than the result of one playoff game. Her words showed how close the teammates have become. 

“I mean, we've been through a lot together. I think the biggest thing with this group, with these two up here, there's just a lot of unconditional love,” McBride said after the game. She also said they had come together at special points in their careers and had created something in Minnesota that other players wanted to be part of. 

McBride then explained why the embrace with Collier and Williams meant so much to her. “These are two really, really special people, just people before anything,” she said. “That embrace is about the people that are sitting next to me, my sisters, people that I love, that will be in my life forever. It's not even about basketball at that point.” 

Minnesota Lynx Suffer Historic First-Round Loss To New York Liberty

The emotional moment came after a difficult ending for Minnesota. The Lynx finished the regular season with a 33-11 record and entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed. New York, meanwhile, entered the postseason as the No. 8 seed and had to win both games to advance. 

The Liberty opened the series with a 91-75 win on September 27, led by Breanna Stewart's 34 points and 12 rebounds. Two nights later, New York completed the sweep with an 87-71 victory behind Jonquel Jones, who finished Game 2 with 21 points and 13 rebounds. 

The result created WNBA history. According to the WNBA, New York became the first No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in the opening round since the league moved to its current best-of-three first-round format in 2022. The Liberty will now move on to the semifinals. 

Lynx Big Three Faces A New Chapter After 2026 Playoff Exit

Collier, McBride and Williams have been closely linked during Minnesota's recent run. Williams joined the Lynx in 2024, bringing the three players together as a core group. Their first season together ended with Minnesota reaching the WNBA Finals, where the Lynx lost to the Liberty. 

The Lynx returned to the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in 2025, but their run ended in the semifinals against the Phoenix Mercury. This season brought another top seed and another meeting with New York, only for the Liberty to end Minnesota's postseason after two games. 

McBride's comments also come as questions surround what comes next for the Lynx core. Collier is heading toward unrestricted free agency, according to reporting from Yahoo Sports, while McBride's words focused on the relationship the three players have built together rather than what may happen next.