Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve named 2026 WNBA Executive of the Year
WBNA Playoffs: What comes next for the Minnesota Lynx?
After a dream regular season, the Minnesota Lynx entered the WNBA Playoffs as the top-seeded team, but made a surprising first-round exit after getting swept by No. 8 seed New York Liberty.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Cheryl Reeve added another major WNBA honor after a season that put the Minnesota Lynx at the top of the league.
Cheryl Reeve named WNBA Executive of the Year
What we know:
The WNBA announced Cheryl Reeve, the Minnesota Lynx coach and president of basketball operations, is the Basketball Executive of the Year. It is the third time she has won the award, having also earned it in 2019 and 2024.
Reeve wrapped up her 17th season as Minnesota's head coach and fourth as president of basketball operations by leading the Lynx to a league-best 33-11 record and the No. 1 overall seed in the WNBA Playoffs. Reeve also earned Coach of the Month honors for June and served as an All-Star head coach for the fifth time at the All-Star Game in Chicago in July.
Reeve makes history
Why you should care:
The Lynx set a WNBA record with 18 road wins and put together a 10-game winning streak from July 11-Aug. 12, the franchise's longest since 2016. On July 8, Reeve became the WNBA's all-time winningest head coach with her 380th career win and finished the season with 397 regular-season victories.
Reeve engineered several key roster moves ahead of the 2026 season. They included re-signing WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, five-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Napheesa Collier, along with All-Star guards Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams, then signed free agent forward Natasha Howard, a three-time WNBA champion.
Timeline:
In April, Reeve used the No. 2 overall pick in the WNBA Draft on Olivia Miles. She went onto win the league's Rookie of the Year Award.
What's next:
The Lynx are in offseason mode and preparing for 2027. Despite having the No. 1 seed in the WNBA Playoffs, the Lynx were eliminated by the New York Liberty in a two-game sweep.