Welcome to a new week and a new Lynx Offseason Update!

As we begin the final full week of the calendar year, let me be the first to wish you a Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah.

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 Napheesa Collier, Courtney Williams, Alanna Smith, Natisha Hiedeman, Kayla McBride, Bridget Carlton, Jessica Shepard, Maia Hirsch, Dorka Juhász, Maria Kliundikova, Anastasiia Olairi Kosu and Camryn Taylor

Let’s take a look at where those Lynx players are playing — or where they plan to play — how they have performed over the past week and this offseason overall.

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.

Over the past week, McBride continued to find success from deep for her squad, but also put together a nice week defensively and made an impact in nearly every aspect of the game.

Turkey-KBSL: 6 games — 15.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 0.5 SPGEuroLeague: 6 games — 15.8 PPG, 3.8 APG, 2.7 RPG, 1.8 SPGDec. 13 vs. Mersin (90-81 win): 11 points (4-8 FG, 3-6 3Pt), four assists, three rebounds and one steal over 27 minutesDec. 18 vs. Zaragoza (95-64 win): 14 points (4-10 FG, 2-7 3Pt), six assists, four rebounds and three steals over 28 minutesDec. 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.

Over the past week, Carleton had a bit of a quiet week in Czech Republic-ZBL and EuroLeague action, finishing with a few single-digit outings though she made up for it by impacting other aspects of the game as we’ve been used to seeing while she’s been in a Lynx uniform.

Czech Republic-ZBL: 5 games — 10.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.6 SPGEuroLeague: 5 games — 10.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.0 SPGDec. 13 vs. KP Bmo (100-69 win): seven points (3-10 FG, 1-7 3Pt), two rebounds, one block and one steal over 19 minutesDec. 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.

Over the past week, Shepard put up some more impressive numbers in Italy, doing so in somewhat limited time on the floor compared to normal due to the blowout nature of a few of the games.

Italy-Serie A1: 9 games — 17.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.1 SPGEuroLeague: 8 games — 15.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.3 SPGDec. 14 vs. Battipaglia (100-52 win): 15 points (6-9 FG), 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block over 21 minutesDec. 17 vs. USK Praha (99-78 win): 23 points (8-8 FG), eight rebounds and six assists over 35 minutesDec. 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.

Over the past week, Kliundikova reached double figures in both games, putting up her third double-double of the offseason along the way.

Russia-PBL: 11 games — 12.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.9 BPGDec. 17 vs. Neftyanik (97-43 win): 10 points (5-8 FG), four rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal over 18 minutesDec. 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.

Over the past week, Juhász made an impact on both ends of the floor in both Turkey-KBSL and EuroLeague action, putting together two balanced showings despite failing to reach double figures in one of those contests.

Turkey-KBSL: 7 games — 12.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.0 BPGEuroLeague: 10 games — 12.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.0 BPGDec. 17 vs. Bourges (80-62 win): 13 points (4-12 FG, 0-4 3Pt), seven rebounds, two assists and two steals over 35 minutesDec. 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.

Russia-PBL: 7 games — 12.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 0.4 BPGNov. 22 vs. Enisey (80-66 win): 21 points (9-10 FG, 0-1 3Pt), five rebounds, six steals and two blocks over 27 minutesNov. 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.

Franco-BWL: 8 games — 9.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.3 BPGEuroLeague: 6 games — 7.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.8 SPGNov. 26 vs. Famila Schio (74-57 loss): two points (1-4 FG, 0-1 3Pt), two rebounds and two assists over 25 minutesNov. 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.

France-BWL: 6 games — 5.2 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.2 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.2 BPGNov. 29 vs. Angers (75-67 win): 12 points (5-6 FG, 2-2 3Pt), two rebounds and one block over 19 minutes

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.

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.