Lynx star Napheesa Collier returns with 20-point double-double - ESPN

The Minnesota Lynx wanted to temper expectations of what their star player, Napheesa Collier, would look like in her season debut Wednesday.

But in her first game since late September, Collier looked like herself, finishing with 24 points on 9-of-20 shooting and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes in the Lynx's 86-76 win over the Seattle Storm.

It was the fourth time Collier scored at least 20 points in her season debut and the second time she had a 20-point double-double in her first game of a season. The only other Lynx player to achieve the latter was Sylvia Fowles in 2017.

«I felt like a kid in a candy store,» Collier said after the game. «I couldn't wait to get on the court.… There was a lot of excitement. I'm just happy to be here.»

Wednesday's win was Collier's first game back after undergoing surgery on both of her ankles during the offseason, the first on New Year's Day and the second in March.

On Tuesday, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve sat Collier in her office to make sure the five-time All-Star understood that reintegrating into live action after such a long layoff takes time.

Reeve told Collier there would be a moment when she would look at her star and tell her she needs to be the best player on the court, but that wasn't going to be in her season debut.

Collier understood and didn't set lofty expectations for herself against Seattle. But she did have more achievable goals, such as making an impact on defense.

«I have a lot of high expectations for myself, so it's hard not to do that,» Collier said.

Collier started the game cool, going just 1-of-7 in the first quarter. But she started to find a rhythm in the second, going 4-of-5 for 11 points in 11 minutes.

She said her first stint in the first three minutes of the game was