Hiedeman, who played with the Lynx in 2024, and Badiane, a veteran center from France, are expected to make their deals official when the free agent signing period opens Feb. 1st.
With news swirling throughout the WNBA as free agency picks up, the Minnesota Lynx are reportedly expected to join in on the fun when the free agent signing period opens up February 1st.
On Friday, Kent Youngblood of the Minnesota Star Tribune reported that the Lynx are expected to re-sign guard Natisha Hiedeman and sign French center Mariéme Badiane as soon as Saturday when the signing window opens across the league.
The Lynx are expected to announce the re-signing of Natisha Hiedeman and the addition of French center Marieme Badiane when the WNBA’s official signing period opens tomorrow:https://t.co/sBwmEy1Ap5
— Kent Youngblood (@BloodStrib) January 31, 2025
Youngblood also notes that these moves “are not necessarily the final moves the team will make in the official free agency period, but both are important for a team that, coming off a 30-10 season and a trip to the WNBA finals, wants to keep pace in the league.”
These moves make sense on multiple fronts, mainly adding to the depth of the Lynx with two veteran pieces that will primarily appear as part of the second unit in 2025.
Hiedeman arrived in Minnesota last offseason after being traded to the Lynx from the Connecticut Sun. As a backup to Lynx starting guard Courtney Williams, Hiedeman had a different role than she had earlier in her career by coming off the bench. Hiedeman, who has a great relationship with Williams in particular, made an impact among the second unit and provided Minnesota with a valuable experienced veteran on and off the court.
Hiedeman, who turns 28 in February, will enter her seventh season in the WNBA in 2025 and her second in Minnesota. She will look to improve upon somewhat of a down year offensively in 2024, averaging 4.9 points, 2.4 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 0.8 steals over 15.2 minutes in all 40 regular season games.
Badiane, a 6-foot-3 center who will be making her debut in the WNBA, is an intriguing addition to Minnesota. At the age of 30, Badiane is a veteran post that has had a strong career overseas, being part of championship in the EuroLeague, Europe SuperCup, Ligue Féminine Basket, Basketball Super League, Turkish Cup and Turkish Presidential Cup.
Badiane is currently playing in Turkey with EuroLeague powerhouse Fenerbahçe, averaging 5.6 points and 4.3 rebounds over 17.0 minutes in 12 appearances. Some might remember Badiane as part of the French National Team in the 2024 Paris Olympics, a squad that fell to Team USA in the gold medal game. In the Olympics, Badiane averaged 7.2 points and 5.7 rebounds over 26.4 minutes in six games.
Badiene is a really solid addition to this group without shaking up the core, and supplements what they do well
Stretches the court, mobile, good playmaker for her position
Like this a lot, was really intrigued to see where Cheryl would go and this is a home run imo https://t.co/nIQa5Nks6R
— Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) January 31, 2025
The Lynx are reportedly getting the ball rolling on free agency as they look to retool and try to make another run at a WNBA Finals appearance in 2025. With Hiedeman and Badiane, the Lynx are adding two players who will have an opportunity to make a strong impact in backup roles in Minnesota this summer.