Welcome to a new week and a new Lynx Offseason Update! The final Offseason Update of the 2025 calendar year!
As we near the new year, let me be the first to wish you a very Happy New Year and a great start to 2026. All of us at Canis Hoopus thank you for your support and for continuing to come back to read the great content our team churns out.
With the year coming to a close, the offseason is just getting started — or is about to start — for Minnesota Lynx players across the globe. Though this week, it was a break for everyone overseas with no appearances by Lynx players over the holidays.
Among players who finished on the Lynx roster in 2025 and those who are under team control, Minnesota has a total of 13 players playing or planning to play this offseason. Those 13 players are Napheesa Collier, Courtney Williams, Alanna Smith, Natisha Hiedeman, Kayla McBride, Bridget Carlton, Jessica Shepard, Maia Hirsch, Dorka Juhász, Maria Kliundikova, Anastasiia Olairi Kosu, Camryn Taylor and Jaylyn Sherrod.
Let’s take a look at where those Lynx players are playing — or where they plan to play — how they have performed so far this offseason.
Kayla McBride — Fenerbahçe (Turkey)
McBride is back at her second home in Turkey while returning to play for Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahçe. Though some expected her to return to play in Unrivaled this offseason, McBride chose to start the offseason overseas with a team that is special to her.
McBride has continued to find success from deep for her squad, though she didn’t appear in any games over the past week.
Season Stats:
Turkey-KBSL: 6 games — 15.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 0.5 SPG
EuroLeague: 6 games — 15.8 PPG, 3.8 APG, 2.7 RPG, 1.8 SPG
Recent Games:
Dec. 13 vs. Mersin (90-81 win): 11 points (4-8 FG, 3-6 3Pt), four assists, three rebounds and one steal over 27 minutes
Dec. 18 vs. Zaragoza (95-64 win): 14 points (4-10 FG, 2-7 3Pt), six assists, four rebounds and three steals over 28 minutes
Dec. 21 vs. Nesibe (99-69 win): 14 points (6-12 FG, 2-6 3Pt), five rebounds and five assists over 29 minutes
Bridget Carleton — USK Praha (Czech Republic)
Carleton is off in a new country this offseason, adding her seventh country she’s played in during her career along with Australia, Spain, Franco, Hungary, Israel and Turkey.
Carleton has done a little bit of everything in Czech Republic-ZBL and EuroLeague action this offseason, leaving her mark on multiple areas of the game like we’ve become used to seeing with the Lynx. Over the past week, Carleton didn’t take part in any games in the Czech Republic.
Season Stats:
Czech Republic-ZBL: 5 games — 10.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.6 SPG
EuroLeague: 5 games — 10.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.0 SPG
Recent Games:
Dec. 13 vs. KP Bmo (100-69 win): seven points (3-10 FG, 1-7 3Pt), two rebounds, one block and one steal over 19 minutes
Dec. 17 vs. Famila Schio (99-78 loss): six points (2-7 FG, 2-6 3Pt), three rebounds, three assists and one steal over 30 minutes
Jessica Shepard — Famila Schio (Italy)
Shepard is in a new country this offseason after spending last offseason in Greece, taking the court with Italian power Famila Schio. She has played in Greece, Israel and Italy so far in her career.
Shepard has put up some impressive numbers in Italy this offseason, once again being a double-double machine like we’ve been accustomed to seeing. Over the past week, Shepard didn’t take part in any Italy-Serie A1 or EuroLeague contests.
Season Stats:
Italy-Serie A1: 9 games — 17.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.1 SPG
EuroLeague: 8 games — 15.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.3 SPG
Recent Games:
Dec. 14 vs. Battipaglia (100-52 win): 15 points (6-9 FG), 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block over 21 minutes
Dec. 17 vs. USK Praha (99-78 win): 23 points (8-8 FG), eight rebounds and six assists over 35 minutes
Dec. 20 vs. Roseto (91-62 win): 26 points (11-15 FG), 17 rebounds and three assists over 25 minutes
Maria Kliundikova — UMMC Yekateringburg (Russia)
Kliundiokva, who was a midseason arrival for Minnesota and ended up with a nice role off the bench for the Lynx, is back in her home country of Russia this offseason playing for UMMC Yekateringburg alongside soon-to-be second-year Lynx forward Anastasiia Olairi Kosu.
Kliundikova has put together a balanced offseason so far, helping her squad offensively and on the boards while also impacting other areas of the game. Over the past week, she too didn’t take part in any action overseas.
Season Stats:
Russia-PBL: 11 games — 12.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Recent Games:
Dec. 17 vs. Neftyanik (97-43 win): 10 points (5-8 FG), four rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal over 18 minutes
Dec. 20 vs. Samara (118-59 win): 11 points (5-10 FG), 11 rebounds, one assist and one steal over 17 minutes
Dorka Juhász — Galatasaray (Turkey)
Juhász is spending her WNBA offseason in a new country, playing in Turkey this season rather than Italy like we’ve seen in the past. Juhász, who sat out the 2025 WNBA campaign while remaining overseas, is still under contract with Minnesota through 2026.
Juhász has made an impact on both ends of the floor in both Turkey-KBSL and EuroLeague action, putting together balanced a showing in Turkey. Over the past week, she was on a bit of break with no appearances.
Season Stats:
Turkey-KBSL: 7 games — 12.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.0 BPG
EuroLeague: 10 games — 12.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Recent Games:
Dec. 17 vs. Bourges (80-62 win): 13 points (4-12 FG, 0-4 3Pt), seven rebounds, two assists and two steals over 35 minutes
Dec. 20 vs. Botas (90-58 win): six points (3-10 FG, 0-2 3Pt), five rebounds, three blocks, two assists and one steal over 18 minutes
Anastasiia Olairi Kosu — UMMC Yekateringburg (Russia)
Kosu is back home in Russia this offseason, playing with fellow Lynx teammate Maria Kliundikova with UMMC Yekateringburg.
Kosu, who Minnesota is hoping continues to develop leading into her second WNBA campaign, has gotten off to a nice start in Russia this offseason. Over the past week, she didn’t appear in any games.
Season Stats:
Russia-PBL: 7 games — 12.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Recent Games:
Nov. 22 vs. Enisey (80-66 win): 21 points (9-10 FG, 0-1 3Pt), five rebounds, six steals and two blocks over 27 minutes
Nov. 26 vs. MBA (75-57 win): three points (1-3 FG), four rebounds and one assist over 12 minutes
Maia Hirsch — Charleville-Mezieres (France)
We have yet to see Hirsch in the WNBA after being drafted by the Lynx in the first round of the 2023 WNBA Draft, but she continues to play in France this offseason as she continues to develop.
After an up-and-down offseason last year, Hirsch is off to a nice start to this offseason with some additional time on the floor as well. Over the past week, she didn’t appear in any games.
Season Stats:
Franco-BWL: 8 games — 9.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.3 BPG
EuroLeague: 6 games — 7.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.8 SPG
Recent Games:
Nov. 26 vs. Famila Schio (74-57 loss): two points (1-4 FG, 0-1 3Pt), two rebounds and two assists over 25 minutes
Nov. 29 vs. Chartres (83-67 win): six points (3-5 FG), two rebounds, one assist and one steal over 13 minutes
Camryn Taylor — Landerneau (France)
Taylor, who joined the Lynx late in the 2025 WNBA season and was part of the playoff run, has moved from Greece last offseason to France and Landerneau Bretagne Basket this year.
Taylor had a slow start to the offseason schedule, but has picked things up as of late with two straight double-digit outings. Over the past week, she didn’t appear in any games.
Season Stats:
France-BWL: 6 games — 5.2 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.2 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Recent Games:
Nov. 29 vs. Angers (75-67 win): 12 points (5-6 FG, 2-2 3Pt), two rebounds and one block over 19 minutes
Not Yet Underway
While the players listed above have already begun their seasons across the globe, four more Lynx players will remain in the country and will take part in the second season of Unrivaled.
Napheesa Collier, Courtney Williams, Natisha Hiedeman and Alanna Smith are taking part in Unrivaled’s second season. Former Lynx General Manager Clare Duwelius is also still serving as Unrivaled’s General Manager and Executive Vice President.
That 3-on-3 league, which is expanding from six teams to eight in 2026, will kick off its inaugural season in Florida on Jan. 5.
Along with those four, Jaylyn Sherrod is also playing in the country this offseason, taking part in Athletes Unlimited’s fifth season.
Sherrod will be one of 40 players participating in the fast-paced, full-court, 5-on-5 league that begins in early February in Nashville.
That will do it for this week. As always, thank you for reading! We will catch up with you next week with another Lynx Offseason Update.