Welcome to a new week and a new Lynx Offseason Update. The first Offseason Update of the 2026 year!
As we officially flip the calendar from 2025 to 2026, players across the globe are getting back to action overseas and in the United States to begin the new year. Players overseas are back to the court with a short break around the holidays, while players in the country are returning to action this week in Unrivaled.
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. Among players who finished on the Lynx roster in 2025 and those who are under team control, Minnesota has a total of 12 players playing or planning to play this offseason.
Those 12 players are 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 are about to start playing — and 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 this offseason. Over the past week, she had two below-average scoring outings, but contributed in other areas of the game to help her team.
Season Stats:
Turkey-KBSL: 8 games — 12.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.4 APG, 0.8 SPG
EuroLeague: 6 games — 15.8 PPG, 3.8 APG, 2.7 RPG, 1.8 SPG
Recent Games:
Dec. 24 vs. Emlak Konut (88-70 win): three points (1-7 FG, 1-3 3Pt), eight assists, six rebounds and three steals over 25 minutes
Dec. 27 vs. Ormanspor (109-60 win): seven points (3-4 FG, 1-2 3Pt), six assists and three rebounds over 22 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 had a nice well-rounded showcase in Czech Republic-ZBL action.
Season Stats:
Czech Republic-ZBL: 6 games — 10.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.7 SPG
EuroLeague: 5 games — 10.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.0 SPG
Recent Games:
Jan. 3 vs. Chomutov (109-42 win): nine points (3-12 FG, 2-6 3Pt), seven rebounds, four assists and two steals over 24 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 put together two 20-point outings while boosting her squad on both ends of the floor.
Season Stats:
Italy-Serie A1: 10 games — 17.8 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.2 SPG
EuroLeague: 8 games — 15.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.3 SPG
Recent Games:
Dec. 29 vs. San Martino (79-51 win): 22 points (9-13 FG), six rebounds, two assists and two steals over 20 minutes
Jan. 4 vs. Roseto (96-57 win): 21 points (9-10 FG), eight rebounds, three assists and two steals over 18 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, Juhász put together best outing of the season with her second 20/10 double-double, following it up by surpassing double figures to begin the new year.
Season Stats:
Turkey-KBSL: 9 games — 13.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.8 BPG
EuroLeague: 10 games — 12.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Recent Games:
Dec. 24 vs. Ormanspor (67-63 win): 25 points (9-14 FG, 4-5 3Pt), 11 rebounds, two assists and one steal over 28 minutes
Jan. 3 vs. CBK Mersin (79-68 win): 11 points (5-10 FG, 1-3 3Pt), three assists, two rebounds and one steal over 21 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, Hirsch had a limited impact in her squad’s first game of the new year.
Season Stats:
Franco-BWL: 9 games — 8.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG
EuroLeague: 6 games — 7.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Recent Games:
Jan. 4 vs. Lattes Montpellier (67-59 loss): no points (0-5 FG, 0-4 3Pt), three 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.
Courtney Williams, Natisha Hiedeman and Alanna Smith are taking part in Unrivaled’s second season. Napheesa Collier, who was supposed to take part, will miss the season due to having surgery on both ankles and missing 4-6 months in recovery. Along with those four players, 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.