FILE - Minnesota Lynx forward Nia Coffey (12) shoots over Atlanta Dream forward Naz Hillmon (00) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game May 27, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File)

By DAVE CAMPBELL

AP Sports Writer

MINNEAPOLIS — Nia Coffey has changed teams five times in a 10-year WNBA career. Landing with the Minnesota Lynx was a fitting reward for the journey.

The 31-year-old forward is from the Twin Cities area, so it’s not quite right to declare she’s found a home. The combination of returning to her native state and joining the powerhouse Lynx, however, has created an ideal scenario for Coffey, who entered the league in 2017 as the fifth overall pick in the draft out of Northwestern.

“It feels good. I always loved how the Lynx played. It just felt weird because I was always on other teams,” Coffey said after Minnesota’s 107-74 victory over Portland on Monday. “I’m glad it was a possibility for me to be on this team. I love the way we play. I love our coaching staff and our players. It’s great. So I’m glad it worked out.”

With 15 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks, Coffey became just the fifth different player in franchise history to hit those minimums in a game as the Lynx set a team record with seven players in double-digit scoring on the way to their fourth 100-point output in 14 games this season.

Coffey, who had the crowd at Target Center roaring with three first-quarter 3-pointers and a layup off an inbound pass to beat the halftime buzzer, was awarded the game ball from coach Cheryl Reeve and her staff afterward.

“Her level of compete, her ability to play so vertically, shot-blocking, rebounding — she gives you all that energy and sets the tone for us,” Reeve said. “She’s such a big part of our defensive identity and our toughness, and then shooting the 3 as we’ve asked for. Happy for her. We do ask a lot from her at both ends.”

Reeve also spoke of her fondness for Coffey’s coachability.

“There are so many things. I think what I appreciate about her — probably because I don’t get it from the rest of the starters — is she listens,” Reeve said. “She really looks at you dead in your eye and receives the information and goes out there and does exactly what you’re asking her to do.”

Coffey laughed when told of her coach’s positive assessment of her listening skills.

“I like to do a good job, so you kind of have to know what they’re asking for,” she said.

Coffey’s father, Richard, was a paratrooper in the Army who starred in college at Minnesota and played briefly in the NBA. Her younger brother, Amir, has played the last seven seasons in the league, most recently with Phoenix. She played at Hopkins High School, the powerhouse program in suburban Minneapolis that later produced Paige Bueckers, the first overall pick in the 2025 draft.

For whatever the reasons, Coffey’s WNBA career never truly took off. Much more of a role player than a key contributor prior to signing with the Lynx, Coffey has only one prior season of averaging more than seven points per game.

This season, she’s got career-best averages going in just about every category — minutes (26.4), points (8.7), rebounds (5.9) and assists (2.1) per game and field goal (50%) and 3-point (43.9%) shooting. With star Napheesa Collier yet to play following ankle surgery, Coffey has started every game for the league-leading Lynx (11-3).

After losing several key players to free agency and the expansion draft, Reeve needed to restock the rotation — and Coffey was an ideal get.

“She’s a great coach and I’ve always known that from afar, so the fact that I can see it first-hand is really cool,” Coffey said. “I’m still learning a lot.”