Instant Takeaways: Storm Narrowly Lose 7th Straight vs. Sparks
The Seattle Storm played one of their most well-balanced games of the season, but it still wasn’t enough in an 88-83 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday, June 10, at Climate Pledge Arena.
Seattle (3-11) had all five of their starters score at least 11 points, and it shot 47% from the field to the Sparks’ 39%. However, as has been the case recently, the Storm had fewer field-goal and free-throw attempts — resulting in their seventh straight loss.
Los Angeles (6-6) got back to .500 and won its second-straight game. Nneka Ogwumike made good on her return to Seattle with a game-high 24 points and nine rebounds.
Natisha Hiedeman had 16 points to lead the Storm, followed by Dominique Malonga with 15. Flau’jae Johnson (14 points), Awa Fam (12) and Jordan Horston (11) rounded out the top scorers for the Storm.
Instant Takeaways: Storm’s Best Offensive Performance Still Not Enough vs. Aces
A’ja Wilson erupted for a 34-point near-triple-double, and the Seattle Storm surrendered triple-digit points for the first time this season in a 101-91 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Monday, June 8, at Michelob Ultra Arena.
Seattle (3-10) dropped its sixth-straight game as they are still struggling to string together consecutive quality quarters after fast starts. Dominique Malonga led the Storm with 19 points and five rebounds in her second game back from injury.
Las Vegas (8-3) continued to show why it’s among the WNBA’s best, and Wilson became the youngest player to surpass 6,000 career points. The Aces scored at least 22 points in every period.
The Storm bookended the game with their two best quarters, but fell too far behind in the middle periods to make up the difference. The Aces were simply too efficient from the field, shooting 50% as a team.
Instant Takeaways: Storm Fumble Double-Digit Lead in Blowout Loss to Lynx
An efficient start quickly faded to memory for the Seattle Storm as they were held to 25 second-half points in an 88-68 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday, June 6, at the Target Center.
Minnesota (9-2) was led by a combined 46 points from Natasha Howard and Olivia Miles, shaking off a slow start to dominate the Storm like they have the entire WNBA this season.
Seattle (3-9) crumbled in the second half to drop its fifth straight game. Natisha Hiedeman and Jade Melbourne each scored 14 points to lead the Storm. Flau’jae Johnson added 10 points and a team-high six rebounds.
Storm’s Dominique Malonga Off Injury Report After 8-Game Absence, Lexie Brown Out
Seattle Storm forward Dominique Malonga has been removed from the injury report following an eight-game absence due to a concussion, per The IX Sports reporter Bella Valeriano Munson.
Malonga is expected to play in the Storm’s road game against the Minnesota Lynx at 10 a.m. PST on Saturday, June 6.
In a corresponding move, the Storm waived Joyner Holmes, whom they signed to a hardship contract on May 22. Holmes appeared in one game for the Storm against the Connecticut Sun on the same day she was signed, totaling two points, five rebounds, and three blocks.
Lexie Brown, who is currently “not with [the] team,” per Munson, has been ruled out for against the Lynx. Brown also did not play in the Storm’s 72-68 loss to the Phoenix Mercury on June 3.
Storm Activate Awa Fam, Sign Joyner Holmes to Hardship Contract
The Seattle Storm made two moves ahead of their second straight bout with the Connecticut Sun on Friday, May 22, at Climate Pledge Arena.
Seattle activated rookie No. 3 overall pick Awa Fam now that she has joined the team and also signed forward Joyner Holmes to a hardship contract on Friday.
The Storm have been without Ezi Magbegor since the season began, and Dominique Malonga has now missed two games due to a concussion. Her status for Friday’s game against the Sun is uncertain, but the signing of Holmes suggests she will still be on the sidelines.
Storm Waive Third-Round Pick Grace VanSlooten
The Seattle Storm are preparing for the arrival of No. 3 overall pick Awa Fam following her championship win with Valencia in Spain, and they waived third-round pick Grace VanSlooten on Monday to make space on the roster.
VanSlooten, who has played in all four regular-season games, was the 39th overall pick in this year’s draft out of Michigan State. She likely would have landed in a developmental roster spot initially if Fam was with the Storm to begin the campaign, but the second spot is now filled by Taylor Thierry. Of course, if she clears waivers, the Storm could always let go of Thierry and re-sign VanSlooten to a developmental contract.
Instant Takeaways: No Malonga Spells Doom for Storm in Loss to Fever
Stumbling out of the gates with sloppy offense and minimal-resistance defense, the Seattle Storm fell to 1-3 on the season with an 89-78 loss to the Indiana Fever on Sunday, May 17, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The Storm were without leading scorer Dominique Malonga, who suffered a concussion in Wednesday’s game against Toronto. Seattle’s remaining lineup, which was much smaller than normal, couldn’t minimize mistakes to keep up with a potent Fever attack.
Natisha Hiedeman had her best game as a member of the Storm, scoring a team-high 19 points while adding two rebounds, two assists one steal and one block. Flau’jae Johnson (14 points), Zia Cooke (13) and Jade Melbourne (12) also scored in double figures.
Indiana (2-2) was led by Caitlin Clark’s 21 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists. Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham each added 17 points.
Storm Desperately Need Champion Awa Fam Ready to Roll
Awa Fam, the Seattle Storm’s No. 3 overall pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, will be joining her new team as a champion.
Fam and Valencia, the team she has played for in Spain since 2021, won the Liga Feminina Endesa Championship on Sunday, May 17, defeating Casademont Zaragoza 68-67 on a buzzer-beater layup.
It wasn’t her best game, but Fam totaled six points on two 3-pointers and added four rebounds, one assist and a steal.
Valencia’s season is what has been keeping Fam, 19, from joining the Storm, who are currently 1-2 ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Indiana Fever (1-2). Fam will still have to get to Seattle and potentially get a short rest before she can get on the court for the Storm this season.
Instant Takeaways: Mistake-Prone Storm Stumble Against Tempo
A healthy dose of turnovers doomed the Seattle Storm in an 86-73 loss to the Toronto Tempo on Wednesday, May 13, at Coca-Cola Coliseum.
Toronto earned its first win in franchise history after losing its opener, dropping the Storm to 1-2 overall. It was far from Seattle’s best performance, with a lack of contributions across the lineup, sloppy play on both ends of the court and simply a lack of resilience to battle back.
Storm head coach Sonia Raman, just a few days removed from her first win, was a victim of Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello’s first win with Toronto.
Instant Takeaways: Storm Outlast Sun, Raman Earns First Win as WNBA Head Coach
Lexie Brown and Jade Melbourne led an efficient, physical comeback in the second half, and the Seattle Storm got Sonia Raman her first win as a WNBA head coach in an 89-82 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, May 10, at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Brown rebounded from an abysmal season opener to sink five threes and lead the Storm with 17 points. Melbourne continued to be one of the fiestiest players on the court, totaling 15 points, six assists, one steal and one block. Rookie Flau’jae Johnson, though still inefficient, added 16 points, six rebounds, three steals and a block.
Connecticut was led by 17 points and 16 rebounds from Aneesah Morrow. Brittney Griner finished with 16 points, six rebounds and two steals.
The Storm battled foul trouble early, forcing Raman to dip even deeper into her bench. The balance across a 10-player lineup through two games has been incredibly unique.
Instant Takeaways: Inexperienced Storm Lose Early Mojo in Season-Opening Loss to Valkyries
A hot start for the new-look Seattle Storm and first-time head coach Sonia Raman rapidly fell back to Earth in a 91-80 loss against the Golden State Valkyries in the 2026 regular season opener on Friday, May 8, at Climate Pledge Arena.
Dominique Malonga unsurprisingly led the way for the Storm to begin her second season, totaling 21 points (8-of-15 FG), eight rebounds and two blocks in 29 minutes. The Valkyries were led by an impressive 20 points from forward Janelle Salaun.
Seattle stormed out of the gates early with efficient shooting, but that quickly fell off, the turnovers piled up and its lead evaporated. The potential was apparent in the new lineup, which included six players who didn’t play for the team last season, but it also proved they have a long way to go.
Storm’s Flau’jae Johnson Trade Keeps Looking Better
The Seattle Storm went into the 2026 WNBA Draft with picks No. 3 and No. 14 in the first round. It was expected to be a second-straight transformative class for the Storm, who took Dominique Malonga No. 2 overall last year.
But by the draft’s end, Storm general manager Talisa Rhea had pulled off a masterclass. She got forward Awa Fam Thiam at No. 3, who has arguably the highest ceiling of any player drafted, and point guard Taina Mair in the first round.
When the Storm went to make their first pick of the second round, No. 16, they already had a deal lined up with the Golden State Valkyries to acquire guard Flau’jae Johnson — the eighth overall pick in the first round.
Storm’s Young Stars Shine in Decisive Preseason Victory vs. Fire
The Storm’s young guards led the charge in a 91-81 victory over the Portland Fire in the first matchup between the two franchises since 2002 on Wednesday, April 29, at Climate Pledge Arena.
For the new Portland franchise, the Storm had the privilege of hosting their first-ever game — even if it was just an exhibition matchup. And after taking one of their players (Nika Muhl) in the expansion draft, the Storm spoiled the Fire’s debut after April’s expansion draft, free agency and the rookie draft.
The preseason means next to nothing in terms of how successful the Storm will be. But the individual performances do tell us what could be on the horizon for some of the team’s young players, which is especially important this season.
New-Look Storm Fall Narrowly Short Against Valkyries in Preseason Opener
Despite holding an eight-point halftime lead, the Seattle Storm’s group of young, developing players narrowly fell to the Golden State Valkyries, 78-76, in the first 2026 preseason game on Saturday, April 25, at the Chase Center.
The Storm had 12 of their 19 players step onto the court in the game, getting a decent look at a mostly new group that has had just six days of practice together thus far.
Of that group who played, eight were not with the Storm in 2025 and four were rookies.
Even in a loss, there were plenty of bright spots for Seattle as we begin to see what the new-look Storm will look like. We won’t see the entire lineup until Ezi Magbegor is healthy and Awa Fam joins the team, but it was a glimpse at some of the exciting acquisitions.
Too-Early Storm Starting Lineup Projection For 2026 Season
The Seattle Storm more than likely have their roster set for training camp after a whirlwind 10 days that included the free agency, the WNBA Draft and the post-draft signing period, where the team brought in training camp tryout players.
Currently, the Storm’s roster is at 19 players. Only eight of those players were with the team at all in 2025, and only five actually played regular-season minutes for Seattle.
Training camp begins on Sunday, April 19, before the Storm play their first preseason game on Saturday, April 25, on the road at the Golden State Valkyries.
Storm Rumble Into the Future with Bold 2026 WNBA Draft
The Seattle Storm have found a direction after a frenzied few days of free agency.
The four-time WNBA champions held the No. 3 overall pick after going 23-21 last season with stars Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins and Gabby Williams leading the way. All three players departed the Emerald City in the past few days, leaving 2026 No. 2 overall pick Dominique Malonga and recently re-signed All-Defensive center Ezi Magbegor to build around.
The Storm watched top guards like No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd and No. 2 pick Olivia Miles fly off the board before taking Spanish teen star Awa Fam, who many experts projected to go first, at No. 3. With the 14th pick, Seattle took Duke point guard Taina Mair before selecting TCU’s Marta Suárez at No. 16.
But moments later, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert shocked viewers by announcing that Seattle had traded Suárez and a 2028 second-rounder for the night’s No. 8 pick, LSU star Flau’jae Johnson.
Storm Free Agency Recap: Good, Bad and Ugly From Transformational Signing Period
It’s hard to say the dust has settled on an expectedly tumultuous free agency period for the Seattle Storm, especially with the team rolling straight into a four-pick menu in Monday’s WNBA Draft.
The Storm are going to look very different just one year after a disappointing 23-21 finish in 2025 that saw them eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Las Vegas Aces for the second straight season.
What Historic New WNBA CBA Means For 2026 Seattle Storm
Play ball. After weeks of intense negotiations, the WNBA and the WNBPA verbally agreed to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement early in the morning on Wednesday that will completely reshape player compensation, per ESPN’s Alexa Philipou.
The new salary cap will be set at $7 million, a massive increase from $1.5 million in 2025, with the supermax starting at $1.4 million ($249,244 last season), per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Average player salaries will be around $600,000 ($120,000 last season), and the minimum salary could be higher than $300,000 ($66,079 last season). All of that, coupled with a revenue share of “nearly 20% across the length of the deal,” per Philippou, makes for a historic deal.
Storm’s Nneka Ogwumike Spearheading Tense WNBA CBA Negotiations Now in 11th Hour
As more deadlines continue to be dealt out by the WNBA, it seems the league and its players union are getting closer to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement.
Monday is the new deadline the league set to avoid any impacts on the 2026 season, per ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, and Seattle Storm forward and WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike is at the forefront of the negotiations as they enter their 11th hour.
Ogwumike said Saturday that revenue sharing and team-funded housing were among the major items that are still being worked on, per Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press. Negotiations have been especially hot this week to try to meet the league’s original March 10 deadline to not impact the season.
Malonga, Quinn Fall Short of Unrivaled Championship in Loss to Mist
Dominique Malonga and Noelle Quinn’s Breeze lost to the Mist in the Unrivaled semifinals on Monday, March 2, but the 20-year-old Seattle Storm star once again proved why she will soon be one of the best players in the WNBA, possibly as soon as next season.
The Breeze lost 73-69, falling one win short of the Unrivaled championship. Malonga finished with a team-high 18 points (9 of 14 shooting), 14 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. It was Malonga’s third-straight double-double, second in the playoffs and ninth of the season.
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