Two-time Olympian Angel McCoughtry has signed with the Minnesota Lynx, the team announced Wednesday.
McCoughtry, a guard/forward who was the No. 1 pick out of Louisville in the 2009 WNBA draft, missed the 2021 season with the Las Vegas Aces because of a torn ACL in her right knee. She averaged 14.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game for the Aces as they made the WNBA Finals in 2020.
She spent 10 years with the Atlanta Dream -- the team that drafted her -- which included losses to Minnesota in the 2011 and 2013 WNBA Finals.
"The Lynx have been one of the toughest opponents I've played throughout my career," McCoughtry said in a statement. "The level of basketball IQ this team has is evident through the many years of historical success. To become a part of this team is truly special, and I will do my best to contribute to the expectations that this organization strives for. I'm excited to make Minnesota my homecourt and play in front of such passionate fans while learning from such a seasoned coaching staff."
The Lynx announced Tuesday, the first day of the free-agency signing period, that veteran center Sylvia Fowles had signed a one-year deal with the team for what will be her 15th and final WNBA season. Fowles and McCoughtry were teammates on the 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic teams, and in September, both were named to the W25, which honored the 25 most influential players in the league's first 25 seasons.
"I'm just looking forward to the energy that she brings," Fowles said Wednesday. "I had the opportunity to play with her on different teams with USA Basketball, but to actually have her be a part of my team in the WNBA and compete with her is going to be something special."
McCoughtry, 35, led the WNBA in scoring in 2012 (21.4 PPG) and 2013 (21.5 PPG) and is eighth in career points per game (18.7). She holds the single-game scoring records for both a WNBA Finals game (38 vs. Minnesota in 2011) and a playoff game (42 vs. New York in 2010). McCoughtry also has been known as one of the league's better one-on-one defenders, a role she played on the Olympic team as well.
Lynx coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve called McCoughtry "one of the all-time greats in the history of our league" in a statement. Reeve added, "Her competitive drive and passion for the game are unmatched and she will no doubt be an integral part of our quest for a fifth championship."