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Lynx Offseason Update Vol. 21: Collier and McBride Impress, Juhász Wins Coppa Italia Title

Each week, we will provide an update on the Minnesota Lynx players overseas and how they are performing as part of our Lynx Offseason Update series.

By Mitchell Hansen
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Fenerbahce Alagoz Holding v Valencia Basket - FIBA Basketball Women’s Europa League Photo by Esra Bilgin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

We are now less than three months away from the start of the 2024 WNBA season as the offseason continues leading up to the WNBA Draft and the start of training camp in April.

As we roll along in the offseason as teams continue to fill out their training camp rosters a total of seven Lynx players remain overseas preparing for the upcoming W season. Some of the players are currently on the roster, played with the team in 2023 or have played with the team in the past and are still under team control.

Players across the globe currently playing include Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Dorka Juhász, Maia Hirsch, Bridget Carleton, Alanna Smith and Cecilia Zandalasini are playing overseas in Turkey, Italy, Hungary and France this offseason.

In last week’s update, we looked at the five Lynx representatives taking part in the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments from Feb. 8-11.

BASKETBALL-TUR-WOMEN-FENERBAHCE-CUKUROVA Photo by ALTAN GOCHER/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride

Istanbul, Turkey

Collier, McBride and Fenerbahçe displayed their dominance once again over the past week with a pair of impressive high-scoring victories to continue the strong season overseas thus far.

In a 100-54 blowout win over Tarsus on Feb. 15, Collier led the way with a team-high 23 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals over 28 minutes, while McBride added a well-rounded performance with 14 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals over 34 minutes.

In a 100-91 win over Besiktas on Feb. 28, the Lynx duo once again put on a show, led by Collier with 31 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in 34 minutes. McBride ended right behind Collier with 24 points, five assists and three rebounds in 32 minutes.

Fenerbahçe will kick off the EuroLeague playoffs this week, taking on Perfumerias Avenida on Feb. 21 before battling Antalya on Feb. 24 in a Turkey-KBSL contest.

Fenerbahce Alagoz Holding v Beretta Famila Schio - FIBA EuroLeague Women Photo by Elif Ozturk Ozgoncu/Anadolu via Getty Images

Dorka Juhász

Schio, Italy

Juhász returned to action with Famila Schio over the past week after completing play with Hungary in the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, helping Famila Schio to an Coppa Italia title.

Famila Schio topped Ragusa 67-58 on Feb. 16 in the semifinal round, with Juhász tallying three points, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks over 24 minutes. Famila Schio advanced to the Coppa Italia Final on Feb. 18, taking down Venezia 81-68 with Juhász notching four points, a team-best nine rebounds, two assists and two steals over 29 minutes.

Juhász and Famila Schio will get back to action this week with a pair of games, a battle against USK Prague in the EuroLeague Playoffs on Feb. 21 and a contest against Oxygen Roma on Feb. 24.

Emlak Konut v BCF Elfic Fribourg - FIBA EuroBasket Women Photo by Kadir Kemal Behar/Anadolu via Getty Images

Alanna Smith

Istanbul, Turkey

After participating in the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament with her home country of Australia, Smith returned to the court with Emlak Konut SK in Turkey, taking part in one game over the past week.

In a 71-61 loss to Botas SK on Feb. 15, Smith posted a double-double to lead the way in the defeat. She ended with a team-high-tying 17 points to go along with a team-best 13 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block over 33 minutes.

Emlak Konut SK will have a few days off this week before taking on Bursa in a Turkey-KBSL battle on Feb. 24.

Connecticut Sun v Minnesota Lynx Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images

Bridget Carleton

Györ, Hungary

Following the completion of playing with Canada in the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Carlton’s Hungarian squad UNI Györ held one game over the past wee.

UNI Györ topped Cegledi 90-62 on Feb. 17, but Carleton didn’t appear in that contest.

Carleton and UNI Györ will return to the court on Feb. 24 when they take on PEAC-Pecs in Hungary-A Division action.

Zandalasini Cecilia of Bologna seen in action during the... Photo by Davide Di Lalla/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Cecilia Zandalasini

Bologna, Italy

As we await to see if Zandalasini, who last played for the Lynx in 2018, joins Minnesota once her overseas play concludes, the Italian forward has been playing with Virtus Segafredo Bologna this offseason for the third year in a row.

Over the past week, Virtus Segafredo Bologna had no games on the schedule, resuming play on Feb. 25 against San Martino in Italy-Serie A1 action.

So far this season, Zandalasini has tallied 13.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals over 31.4 minutes in 14 EuroLeague games, adding 12.0 points, 5.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals over 26.6 minutes in 16 Italy-Serie A1 contests.

Ireland v France - FIBA Women’s EuroBasket Championship Qualifier Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images

Maïa Hirsch

Villeneuve d’Ascq, France

Hirsch continues to play in France for Villeneuve d’Ascq this offseason as we wait to see if she makes the move to join the Lynx and the WNBA in 2024.

Over the past week, Villeneuve d’Ascq had one game on the schedule, a 106-66 blowout win over Angers in France-LFB action. However, Hirsch again didn’t appear in either of those games, last appearing in a game on Dec. 13.

So far this offseason, Hirsch has averaged 7.0 points and 3.3 rebounds over 18.2 minutes in nine France-LFB games, also tallying 5.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists over 16.5 minutes in eight EuroLeague contests.

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