With a 13-3 record, the Minnesota Lynx are currently one of the best teams in the WNBA. They are on track to have their best regular season since their dynastic era that included four championships in seven years. The team’s success can be attributed to an MVP-caliber season from Napheesa Collier, the three-point barrage provided by Kayla McBride, the new chemistry established by Alanna Smith and Courtney Williams since their time in Chicago last year, and even solid production from players on the bench. such as Natisha Hiedeman, Dorka Juhász and Cecilia Zandalasini.
What perhaps goes unnoticed is Bridget Carleton’s constant activity and constancy.
Carleton, who rejoined the starting lineup after a knee injury sidelined Diamond Miller, is on track to have the best season of his career. This season, Carleton is averaging 8.0 points per game (PPG), 3.7 rebounds per game (RPG), and 1.8 assists per game (APG). Additionally, she sees significantly more playing time at 29.1 minutes per game (MPG), an increase of 14 minutes from 2023.
Carleton is a strong, tough defender who has been tasked with covering some of the most powerful offensive players in the league, like Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Kahleah Copper and Allisha Gray. She also averages 1.1 steals per game (SPG) and 0.4 blocks per game (BPG). His ability to disrupt a team’s offensive flow with active hands and good ball awareness is an asset to the Lynx defense.
On offense, Carleton is one of the best three-point shooters in the league, and she’s more than capable of hitting big shots. In Game 2 of the Lynx’s playoff series against the Connecticut Sun last season, Carleton hit a huge three-pointer in the fourth quarter to hold off a fierce Sun comeback and help the Lynx win the road game.
The Lynx offense is already intimidating with Collier’s stellar play inside, but the team now has capable perimeter shooters who have helped the team become one of the best three-point shooting teams in the league. Minnesota averages 10 three-pointers per game (second in the league), while leading the WNBA with a three-point shooting percentage at 39.8 percent.
So far, 69 of Carleton’s 90 field goal attempts have come from three-point range. Additionally, Carleton is the only Lynx player in the starting lineup who isn’t averaging double-digit points. However, inside the three-point line, Carleton hasn’t used her scoring ability and has often looked less aggressive at the rim or in the midcourt. These opportunities could allow her to become an even more reliable scorer and offensive player for the team.
You could say she is at her best when representing her country in an international competition. Carleton, originally from Canada, has valuable experience as a player on the national team; she was notably part of the team that failed to qualify for the elimination phase at the Tokyo Olympics. Since then, she has continued to participate in international tournaments to help Canada qualify for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
Carleton played in the 2022 FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament (20.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 3.5 APG in two games), 2022 FIBA World Cup (12.8 PPG , 5.3 RPG and 2.0 APG in eight games), at the 2023 FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifiers. Tournament (11.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 2.7 APG in three games) and 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (14.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 2.0 APG in three games). In fact, during the aforementioned World Cup tournament, she was selected as a member of the All-Star Five (the first team of the tournament), alongside A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Stephanie Talbot, and Han Xu.
Carleton exudes a lot of confidence playing for Canada and is expected to play a key role for the team again in a few weeks at the Olympics. She is not as passive on offense and is more willing to attack the rim and create more shooting opportunities for herself or her teammates. If she can find a way to translate that level of productivity to the Lynx, especially on days when Collier or McBride are struggling, then the Lynx offense can become even more versatile and more difficult for defenses to deal with.
Last year during pre-season, she played in Canada’s first-ever WNBA game, which took place at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. She became the first Canadian player to play a WNBA game in the country. Before the game started, she took the microphone and had the honor of welcoming her home country and the WNBA. The success of WNBA preseason games in Toronto and Edmonton, as well as increased viewership and attention to the league, were instrumental in bringing an expansion team to Toronto of the WNBA which is expected to begin play in 2026.
There are currently only four Canadian players on league rosters: Carleton, Kia Nurse, Laeticia Amihere and Aaliyah Edwards. Carleton built a solid career in the WNBA and became one of the most successful Canadian players in league history. In addition to being a great representative of the Lynx’s winning culture, she is a strong representative of international success within the WNBA.
“Grit” and “hustle” are words that embody the effort Carleton shows on the field. She may not be on a lot of people’s All-Star ballots, but the determination she plays with is at All-Star level.
The Lynx organization ended up finding a gem of a player who was drafted in the second round by the Sun in 2019 and waived after playing only four games, and who believed enough in her potential contributions to keep her in Minnesota in the foreseeable future. She now plays a key role in helping the Lynx pursue their championship aspirations and return to the top of the mountain.
Whether she’s wearing the Lynx jersey or the Canadian national team, Carleton is ready to do her best against the best.
Statistics as of June 25. Unless otherwise noted, statistics provided by WNBA.com.
