Lynx's Aerial Powers to Miss 8-10 Weeks After Surgery on Thumb Injury

Minnesota Lynx star Aerial Powers will be out for eight to 10 weeks after undergoing surgery for a torn UCL in her right thumb.

Powers shared an update on Twitter after the procedure:

Her injury sums up a roller-coaster 2021 season for the 5-6 Lynx. Minnesota has the seventh-best record in the WNBA, only 0.5 games ahead of the Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings and Phoenix Mercury and tied with the Washington Mystics for the final two playoff spots. That's not where many expected the team to be after it signed Powers, Natalie Achonwa and Kayla McBride.

Powers was previously slowed by a strained left hamstring that limited her to four appearances. She has been a solid rebounder (4.8 per game) and playmaker (3.5 assists) but has struggled with shooting. Her 32.5 percent field-goal rate and 14.3 percent clip from beyond the arc are well below her career averages (40.0 and 33.9).

The WNBA season will halt July 11 for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo before resuming Aug. 15. That should benefit the Lynx in that the 5'11" wing won't miss as many games as she would've during a normal season.