What to Watch For in Storm’s Preseason Finale vs. Portland Fire

Almost nothing is the same about the Seattle Storm in 2026, and on Saturday, we saw for the first time how many of the new pieces fared against another WNBA team.

It was an especially young lineup for the Storm, with eight players 25 or younger playing big minutes in the team's 78-76 loss to the Golden State Valkyries to begin the preseason.

Even in a loss, there were many positives for the Storm’s new additions. Rookie No. 8 overall pick Flau’jae Johnson, No. 14 pick Taina Mair, and free-agent signings Jade Melbourne and Rennia Davis stood out.