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‘Kinda Awkward Now,’ ‘Where’s Amber Cox?’ — Cheryl Reeve’s Executive of the Year Win Draws Questions After Top-Seeded Lynx’s First-Round Exit

Minnesota Lynx coach and president of basketball operations Cheryl Reeve was named the WNBA’s 2026 Executive of the Year, adding to her record-breaking season that already included a fifth Coach of the Year award. The recognition came just days after the Lynx, seeded first overall, became the first No.

1 team in WNBA history to be eliminated in the first round—swept by the No. 8-seeded New York Liberty.

Despite the early exit, Reeve’s leadership was underscored by Minnesota’s dominant regular-season performance, including a league-record 18 road wins and a 33-11 record, alongside standout draft picks like Olivia Miles, who set the rookie scoring record en route to unanimous Rookie of the Year honors. Reeve’s win ties her with Atlanta’s Dan Padover for the most Executive of the Year awards (three each) and makes her the first person twice to claim both Coach and Executive of the Year in the same season (2024 and 2026).

The award sparked debate, however, as Indiana Fever general manager Amber Cox—who oversaw a 28-16 season and signed rising stars Mo Billings and Lexie Hull—received no votes from the 15-team panel. Cox’s omission, alongside the Lynx’s unexpected playoff collapse, led to fan and executive questions about the timing and criteria of the honor, with some pointing to her high-profile contract moves as overlooked achievements.

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