MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Lynx have earned their first trip to the WNBA Championship in seven years.
For many diehard fans, this season is a return to the days of the old when the Lynx started building a dynasty in 2011.
The team’s new radio play-by-play announcer Wendell Epps says he doesn’t remember much of that first championship team.
"In 2011, I was 10 years old,” Epps laughed.
But even at a young age he knew this team was special.
"I’d say I became a big fan around their third championship, just seeing all the great players, Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles, there was such a legacy there,” Epps said.
He's proud to join the team in 2024 and to see the Lynx competing in the championship during his first season with the team.
"I don't want to say I'm a good luck charm, but sometimes I feel that way,” Epps laughed.
“I mean, a 30-10 season, Commissioner's Cup champion and here we are in the finals."
Epps sees a lot of similarities between this year's team and the Lynx squad that first won it all in 2011.
Going into both seasons the Lynx front office brought in a lot of new players, and many experts around the league didn't expect these two teams to compete for a championship.
"People didn't think we would be as good as we are this season, ranking ninth in the preseason power rankings, and look where we are now,” Epps said.
Lynx President of Business Operations Carley Knox agrees, she says this team has the same magic she saw 13 years ago.
"I feel like it's a new era of Lynx basketball, like this team is so special,” Knox said.
"It's the culture of team above individual accolades. It's everyone bought in and having each other's backs and standing up for each other."
So, who knows, we may be seeing the beginnings of another Minnesota dynasty.