MINNEAPOLIS — Four WNBA championships with the Minnesota Lynx top the list of Cheryl Reeve’s achievements over the longest continuous tenure by a head coach in league history, a loaded resume that added more heft when she was picked to lead the U.S. national team through the current Olympiad.
This season has been as enjoyable as ever for Reeve, perhaps the highest form of praise the Lynx could hear from their 57-year-old coach whose frankness, intelligence and intensity have shaped one of the most influential careers in the sport.
“I’ve had a lot of fun coaching this team,” Reeve said. “I think everybody’s in a place where we can all be ourselves - players, coaches, trainers, throughout. Everyone is comfortable in their own skin. When you get to be yourself, for everyone, that puts you in a better place.”
After leading the Lynx to WNBA titles in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017, Reeve has steered them through a sometimes rocky transition from the prolific core of Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, Sylvia Fowles and Rebekkah Brunson to the present group that has grinded its way to the third-best record in the league (17-8) at the All-Star break despite star Napheesa Collier missing the last five games to let a left foot injury heal before the Olympics.
The Lynx lead the league in defense, assists, 3-point shooting - and maybe even team chemistry.
“It’s just our ability to problem-solve, to get to the next play,” said Kayla McBride, who had her third 30-point game in Wednesday’s win over Atlanta and will play for the WNBA All-Stars on Saturday against Reeve and Team USA. “I think we have a lot of people who are in good places in their own personal careers and have enough experience to just realize we mesh together really well.”
Reeve went 13-21 in her first season with the Lynx in 2010, before guiding them to 11 straight playoff appearances. The streak ended in 2022, when the ensuing retirement of Fowles cut the last link to the title teams. After an 0-6 start last year, the Lynx rallied to return to the postseason and have taken several steps further this spring and summer. The victory over league leader New York last month in the championship game of the Commissioner’s Cup - the WNBA’s in-season tournament - served notice that Minnesota is back in the mix as a contender.
“I thought we could be a top-four team, so we’re in that range, and I think we’re doing what we think we’re capable of doing,” said Reeve, who added the dual role of general manager in 2017 and later had her title enhanced to president of basketball operations. “Now we have to see if we can improve and make it a really meaningful season.”
Raised in a military family - her father was in the Air Force - Reeve was a basketball star at LaSalle who fared even better with the books. She earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and management information systems, a master’s degree in business administration and was Rhodes Scholar nominee. Her coaching career began with her alma mater, and after 12 years in the college ranks - including five seasons as head coach at Indiana State - she moved to the WNBA. Reeve won two titles with Detroit over nine years as an assistant before her big break came with Minnesota.
Outspokenness has a place on her resume, too. Reeve has more recently taken to wearing statement T-shirts under a blazer during games, with slogans like “Well behaved women seldom make history,” and “Black girls rock.” In 2020, she stopped hiring men as assistant coaches so her efforts to put more women in top roles could be accelerated. She has never been shy about calling out the league when she’s moved to do so, including earlier this year when she posted on social media that there’s more to the WNBA than one player in reference to the promotion of rookie Caitlin Clark.
When Indiana’s ticket-sales machine came to Minnesota on Sunday, Reeve had little interest in discussing the crowd that was dominated by Clark fans and not Lynx backers. She also snapped her dismissal of a question from a reporter about the national team selection - Clark was left off, but Reeve is not on the committee - in her pregame interview session.
For as demanding and fiery as Reeve can be, she has frequently stated her belief in player-led teams. Approaching the huddle during a timeout on many occasions this year, Reeve has been heartened to hear Collier, McBride and others strategizing about moving past a bad stretch the same way she would have suggested.
“Her standard for play is super high,” McBride said. “I’ve learned so much about being a pro from her and being coached by her.”
Team USA is expecting the same.
“To be able to be coached by her for a month is something I’m really looking forward to,” said New York star Sabrina Ionescu. “Her understanding of the game, her ability to get you in the right positions to succeed for the team, the level of excellence that she holds from film to practice to game, that just makes me want to be a better player. That’s why she’s one of the greatest coaches we’ve seen in this game.”
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