This season has been a wild ride for most of the WNBA teams. With the injury list filled with at least one player from most teams, it’s giving their fan bases a scare. Many devastating injuries have kept players out of action for long periods in the 2025 WNBA season.
Chicago Sky’s Courtney Vandersloot, Dallas Wings’ Tyasha Harris, Seattle Storm’s Katie Lou Samuelson, and Phoenix Mercury’s Lexi Held are out for the season now, with Held’s recovery time yet to be confirmed. And the list goes on. However, one more player is joining the list from the Minnesota Lynx.
WNBA Players Shower Love on Karlie Samuelson Post Surgery
The 30-year-old Lynx guard Karlie Samuelson underwent surgery on her left foot following an injury. The recovery period is around six to eight weeks, and like her sister Katie, she will be out of action for the rest of the season. The player shared a photo from the hospital after surgery and an update.
The former Stanford player was injured during a game against the Connecticut Sun on June 29. Her leg buckled midway through the second quarter. She was unable to walk, and it took a wheelchair to carry her out of court. In 16 games played, she averaged 3.3 points and 1.1 assists, clocking just over 14 minutes into the game.
The 6-foot guard shared an update for her fans after she underwent surgery.
“feeling grateful for the amazing people in my corner and the great care from @mayoclinic . time to focus on healing, one step at a time on this road to recovery, definitely not how I pictured this season going,” she wrote on her official Instagram account.
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When the star shared the update, many WNBA stars showed their love for the talented guard. Her team leader, Napheesa Collier, commented with ‘two hearts’ emojis while fellow guard Courtney Williams showed love with three heart emojis. Sister Katie gave her confidence with a “you got this dude” comment and a heart emoji.
Cameroon Brink, Julie Vanloo, and Aaliyah Edwards were other stars who showed their love. The LA forward said, “You got this sending you so much love”.
The LA guard also sent Hugs for the star.
Fans also showered love on the guard, wishing her a speedy recovery.
WNBA Stars Call Out Authorities Over Injury Concerns
Injuries to players might not be a new thing in sports. Even though season-ending ones are more devastating, players want every injury treated equally, and also have a solution.
Cameroon Brink on her podcast ‘Straight to Cam’ stated her preference for the WNBA to expand roster sizes before adding more expansion teams. She believes the current 12-player roster limit puts too much strain on players, especially when teams face injuries or other roster challenges.
Brink argues that increasing roster sizes would alleviate this pressure and benefit player development before considering further expansion. Brink also missed several games, affecting the LA Sparks’ progress in the 2024 season.
The WNBA preferred expansion over roster spaces and has only a hardship contract to deal with player injuries. Various alternatives, including the incorporation of the G-League, were suggested.