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.
The 2025 year is officially here, and the WNBA offseason is about to heat up with some key offseason dates appearing over the first few months of the calendar year.
Along with free agency getting underway in mid-January and the WNBA Draft taking place in April, there are also some highly-anticipated leagues getting ready to begin in the United States.
However, other players have continued to play overseas across the globe this offseason, and for the Minnesota Lynx that includes a total of 12 players who are under team control spread out across the world playing either overseas or remaining here in the United States for offseason competition.
Lynx players staying in the United States or playing overseas includes: Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams, Alissa Pili, Bridget Carleton, Alanna Smith, Natisha Hiedeman, Dorka Juhász, Diamond Miller, Myisha Hines-Allen, Maïa Hirsch and Jessica Shepard.
As 2025 gets into full swing, let’s take a look at how each of the Lynx players performed over the past week in the latest edition of our Lynx Offseason Update series.
Bridget Carleton — ÇBK Mersin (Turkey)
Now with Carleton playing with ÇBK Mersin in Turkey after starting the offseason with UNI Györ in Hungary, she looks to continue a strong offseason put together thus far.
Over the past week, she debuted for her Turkish club while competing in a Turkey-KBSL contest and putting together a balanced performance.
Season Stats:
With ÇBK Mersin:
- Turkey-KBSL: 1 game — 7.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 29.0 MPG
UNI Györ:
- Hungary-A Division: 5 games — 12.6 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 31.2 MPG
- Euroleague: 2 games — 15.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 36.0 MPG
Recent Games:
- Jan. 4 vs. Besiktas (71-65 loss): seven points (0-2 FG, 1-8 3Pt, 4-4 FT), five rebounds and one assist over 29 minutes
Alanna Smith — Shandong (China)
Smith has been all over the globe over the course of her WNBA career, currently playing for Shandong in China. During her career, Smith has played in Australia, Poland, and Turkey before landing with her current Chinese squad.
So far this offseason, Smith has put together a strong season, but wasn’t quiet as dominant over two games in the past week though she still put together a pair of strong performances.
Season Stats:
- China-WCBA: 18 games — 15.4 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 2.6 APG, 2.1 SPG
Recent Games:
- Dec. 31 vs. Xinjiang (92-52 win): 19 points (8-11 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-7 FT), seven rebounds, three steals and two assists
- Jan. 2 vs. Sichuan (95-79 loss): six points (3-8 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 0-2 FT), 11 rebounds, three steals and one assist
Dorka Juhász — Famila Schio (Italy)
Juhász is back in Italy again this year, coming off a strong campaign with Famila Schio last offseason and looking to build upon that this season as she prepares for her third WNBA campaign in 2025.
As the offseason progresses, Juhász has seen her minute totals increase in Italy while having her production follow suit. However, over the past week, Juhász and Famila Schio didn’t have any games on the schedule, next taking the court in the new year.
Season Stats:
- Italy-Serie A1: 5 games — 6.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.6 SPG, 16.0 MPG
- Euroleague: 3 games — 4.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.7 SPG, 18.3 MPG
Recent Games:
- Dec. 18 vs. ÇBK Mersin (86-52 loss): four points (2-3 FG, 0-2 3Pt), five rebounds, one assist and one steal over 18 minutes
- Dec. 22 vs. San Giovanni (67-61 win): 12 points (5-7 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-4 FT), eight rebounds, two blocks and one steal over 20 minutes
Diamond Miller — Gorzow Wielkopolski (Poland)
Miller had her season cut short last offseason while dealing with a knee injury, only appearing in three games in Hungary before returning to Minnesota to rehab her injury. This offseason, she has done well in her first full healthy offseason.
Over the past week, Miller took the court for one game, once again putting together a strong showing offensively while having success from deep, also contributing on the boards and distributing to put together a well-rounded outing.
Season Stats:
- Poland-OBLK: 8 games — 17.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 28.9 MPG
- EuroCup: 4 games — 12.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 31.5 MPG
Recent Games:
- Jan. 4 vs. Sosnowiec (96-76 win): 16 points (3-7 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds and four assists over 27 minutes
Natisha Hiedeman — Inner Mongolia (China)
As a soon-to-be WNBA free agent, Hiedeman is spending her offseason ahead of WNBA free agency overseas with Inner Mongolia in China. During her career, Hiedeman has also spent time in Israel, Russia, and Sweden before arriving in China.
With her Chinese squad, Hiedeman has gotten off to a nice start to China-WCBA play while providing a boost to her team as a floor general. Over the past week, she got off to a bit of a slower start but concluded the week-long span with an offensive outburst that was led by her success from three.
Season Stats:
- China-WCBA: 18 games — 14.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.7 SPG
Recent Games:
- Dec. 30 vs. Shanghai (71-68 win): four points (2-4 FG, 0-1 3Pt)
- Jan. 2 vs. Guangdong (82-75 loss): eight points (1-3 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 3-4 FT), four assists, two rebounds and one steal
- Jan. 4 vs. Shanxi (92-84 loss): 22 points (2-7 FG, 5-5 3Pt, 3-4 FT), six rebounds and four assists
Myisha Hines-Allen — Heilongjiang (China)
Also a soon-to-be free agent, HInes-Allen is spending her offseason in China while playing for Heilongjiang in the same league as her Lynx teammates Smith and Hiedeman. During her career, Hines-Allen has also played in France, Italy, South Korea, Russia and Turkey.
Every week, it seems like Hines-Allen has dominated in China-WCBA action, and she once again had a strong week over the past week with two games. Hines-Allen ended one point away from the 30-point mark in each of the contests while recording her 13th double-double in 18 outings this offseason.
Season Stats:
- China-WCBA: 18 games — 23.6 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 4.8 APG, 2.3 SPG
Recent Games:
- Dec. 31 vs. Hefei (75-72 loss): 29 points (12-22 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 5-8 FT), 12 rebounds, six assists and three steals
- Jan. 2 vs. Hefei (83-73 loss): 29 points (12-25 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 5-6 FT), eight assists, seven rebounds and one steal
Jessica Shepard — Athinaikos AS Vurona (Greece)
Some may have forgotten about Shepard since she didn’t play in the WNBA in 2024 on a suspended contract while remaining overseas, but the veteran is still under control of the Lynx.
Shepard has dominated in Greece while playing with Athinaikos AS Vurona, averaging 30 points and a double-double in Greece-A1 play. Over the past week, she once again didn’t take the court with her Greek squad.
Season Stats:
- Greece-A1: 7 games — 30.0 PPG, 14.1 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 34.3 MPG
Recent Games:
- Dec. 15 vs. 30 points (11-15 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 8-15 FT), 17 rebounds, five assists and one steal over 40 minutes
Maïa Hirsch — ESB Villeneuve (France)
Hirsch has yet to appear with the Lynx or in the WNBA after being drafted 12th overall by Minnesota in 2023 but is still under team control as she remains in France with ESB Villeneuve.
So far this offseason, Hirsch hasn’t seen a high level or production in France-BWL action, some of that due to the lack of minutes on the court in France. Over the past week, she appeared in the lone game on the schedule after not playing since Dec. 21, and was held scoreless off the bench in a single-digit minute total.
Season Stats:
- France-BWL: 6 games — 3.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.5 BPG, 12.8 MPG
- EuroCup: 2 games — 8.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 0.5 APG, 19.0 MPG
Recent Games:
- Jan. 5 vs. Landerneau (81-65 win): no points (0-0 FG) and three rebounds over six minutes
Almost Ready to Get Underway
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 leagues in the United States at the start of the 2025 calendar year.
Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, and Courtney Williams are taking part in the new Unrivaled league, which is co-founded by Collier and Breanna Stewart. Former Lynx General Manager Clare Duwelius is also taking part in that league as an executive, serving as its General Manager and Executive Vice President.
Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 league featuring six players on six teams, will kick off its inaugural season in Miami on Jan. 17.
The fourth Lynx player remaining in the country but still playing is rookie Alissa Pili, who will take part in the Athletes Unlimited league. Athletes Unlimited, which was founded in 2022, will be taking the league to Nashville this season, kicking off the year on Feb. 5.
That will do it for this week. As always, thank you for reading! Happy New Year to all of you and will catch up with you next week with another Lynx Offseason Update.