Lynx Announce Contract Extensions with Augustus and Whalen

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx today announced the team has signed guards Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen to multi-year contract extensions. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not released.

“We are extremely excited to have extended the contracts of two of our franchise leaders and two of the best players in the WNBA,” said Lynx Executive Vice President Roger Griffith. “During her eleven-year career, Seimone has been an integral part of the success of our franchise and has become undoubtedly one of the elite guards in the WNBA. Meanwhile, Lindsay has established herself as one of the top point guards in the league and we are glad to have her continue playing in her home state of Minnesota. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to watch these outstanding individuals night in and out and we are thrilled that they’ve decided to continue their careers with the Lynx as we drive toward the playoffs.”

Playing in her 11th WNBA season (all with the Lynx), Augustus is averaging 11.3 points on 45.9% shooting this season. She is already one of the most decorated players in franchise history, holding team records in games played (292), scoring (5,121), field goals (2,073) and minutes (8,981). A six-time WNBA All-Star and three-time Olympic gold medalist, Augustus was instrumental in helping Minnesota win its third WNBA title in 2015, starting all 10 postseason games and averaging 12.8 points in 34.4 minutes per game.

In her 13th WNBA season and seventh in a Lynx uniform, Whalen is averaging 10.1 points, 3.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game so far this season. Already the franchise leader in assists with 2,153 (ranking third on the WNBA all-time leaderboard), she scored her 5,000th career point July 7 at Connecticut, becoming the first player in WNBA history with 5000+ points, 2000+ assists and 1500+ rebounds. Whalen is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, five time WNBA All-Star and three-time All-WNBA First Team selection.

Led by Augustus and Whalen, Minnesota has been one of the most dominant teams in the WNBA dating back to the start of the 2011 season. The Lynx have won a total of 153 games since 2011, the most prolific six-year stretch in WNBA history, including reaching the WNBA Finals four times in that span. This season Minnesota is a WNBA-best 26-6, including clinching homecourt advantage throughout the 2016 WNBA Playoffs.