​NEW YORK — Cheryl Reeve has proven time and again that she possesses a mastery of winning that stands out in the WNBA. On Wednesday night, she underscored that reputation as the Minnesota Lynx defeated the Connecticut Sun 86-80 on the road, securing her status as the league’s all-time winningest coach. Reeve, who already holds the WNBA playoff wins record, tied Mike Thibault for the most regular-season victories in league history with the Lynx’s win over the Dallas Wings on June 28, and her 380th win now cements her lead.
After the game, she sounded relieved and reflective. “I’m so glad this is over,” Reeve said on the postgame broadcast. “I learned a lot from Mike through the years. Tremendous coach. So much respect that we’ve had for each other through the years. I know he’s happy for me. And somebody’s going to pass me and I’ll be happy for them, too.” Her 16-6 record this season only reinforces what her supporters have long believed: she is a premier basketball mind.
Over a 17-year tenure with the Lynx, Reeve has guided the team to four WNBA championships and has missed the playoffs only twice—during her first season in 2010 and in 2022. Even with expectations that 2026 might present a down year, Reeve’s résumé continues to inspire confidence.
This season, the Lynx have faced significant personnel changes, losing two critical contributors: Alanna Smith, the 2025 Co-Defensive Player of the Year, and forward Jessica Shepard, who signed as unrestricted free agents with the Dallas Wings. Reeve also pursued big-game opportunities, such as courting 11-time All-Star and 2016 WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike, though that bid did not materialize. While she re-signed Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride, questions about life without MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier—who missed time after offseason ankle surgeries—cast a shadow over the team’s prospects.
In response, Reeve charted a confident course. She retained Natasha Howard, the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, and added veteran Nia Coffey to two-year deals. Her boldest move, however, came in the 2024 draft-day trade with the Chicago Sky, which yielded the No. 2 pick in the 2026 draft. That selection became Olivia Miles, a pick that would prove pivotal for the Lynx’s present and future.
On Wednesday, McBride led Minnesota with a game-high 23 points, while Williams and Howard each added 12, and Dorka Juhász supplied 12 off the bench in her return from a right foot injury in April. Midseason, the Lynx stood as the league’s No. 1 team, boasting the best net rating at 11.8 even without their franchise MVP.
June 27 brought another honor for Reeve, as she was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Teammate and reserve guard Miles, sidelined for a second consecutive game with a right calf issue, praised Reeve’s acumen, saying, “She is just brilliant in what she does. She understands how to use players to their strengths.” Miles noted Howard’s extraordinary play, acknowledging that many once doubted her return to form, a comeback that has only reinforced Reeve’s reputation for crafting effective lineups and maximizing talent.
As the season unfolds, Reeve’s impact remains evident. Her ability to navigate roster turnover, cultivate leadership, and extract peak performances from players continues to define her as one of the most proficient coaches in the history of the league. Her triumph in setting the WNBA’s regular-season wins record is not only a personal milestone but a testament to the enduring excellence she continues to bring to the Lynx and to the sport.