Rather than waiting till 11 a.m. to put out a major announcement, the Minnesota Lynx woke up Thursday morning and promptly announced that Lindsay Whalen’s number 13 will be tired by the franchise.
The plan is to retire Whalen’s number and hang her jersey from the Target Center rafters during Minnesota’s June 8 game against the Los Angeles Sparks, which will be televised on ABC.
Whalen’s number is the first to be retired by the Lynx.
“We couldn’t have selected a better person and teammate in Lindsay Whalen as the first Lynx player to have their jersey hung in the rafters of Target Center,” said Minnesota Lynx and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor.
“Lindsay has provided us so many unforgettable moments, including four championships and numerous highlight-reel plays. We congratulate Lindsay and her family on this momentous occasion, and I look forward to celebrating with her and our fans on June 8.”
Whalen played 15 seasons in the WNBA, leading the Lynx for WNBA four championships while averaging 11.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.
“I want to thank Mr. Taylor, Coach Reeve and the entire Lynx organization for this outstanding honor,” said Whalen in a statement. “My time with the Lynx was nothing short of spectacular and to have my jersey retired, while being the first to do so means the world to me.”
Whalen grew up in Hutchinson, Minnesota and then went on to star for the Golden Gophers, where she’s now the women’s basketball head coach.
The Lynx open the WNBA regular season on May 25.
