Lynx’s Cheryl Reeve says Sylvia Fowles ‘grossly underserved’ by WNBA

WNBA star Sylvia Fowles is returning to the Minnesota Lynx for her eighth year with the team and 15^th in the league.

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year confirmed the news in an Instagram post, published to her account on Wednesday.

Joining the Lynx in 2015, Fowles has been a critical presence in the paint and on the boards for the team since her arrival. Seven years in, Fowles is still putting up big numbers, finishing the 2021 season averaging 6.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.8 steals and 1.4 assists over 31 games.

Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve has been vocal about the former MVP’s impact, calling Fowles “one of the best players ever, certainly at the center spot.”

With two WNBA titles and seven All-Star appearances to her name, Fowles is a giant of the sport, but Reeve says the 36-year-old doesn’t get nearly enough recognition.

“I think our league has grossly underserved Sylvia Fowles’ career. … Sylvia Fowles is the most underserved player in the league; you never see the league pushing Sylvia Fowles,” Reeve told Winsidr, “Let’s do our part to make sure Syl is getting the shine she deserves. … Understand she has carried this franchise. When all the other players left and retired and rode off into the sunset, Syl stayed and has carried this franchise and has put us back in contention.”

With her first child due in May, Naphessa Collier is expected to miss at least a portion of the 2022 season, making Fowles’s return to the Lynx even more consequential.