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# Jordan Horston Will Be Key Difference Maker For Storm in 2026
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/jordan-horston-will-be-key-difference-maker-for-storm-in-2026/
- Published: 2025-12-24T23:17:15.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T05:54:13.000Z
- Author: Connor Benintendi
- Tags: Storm, Jordan Horston, Sonia Raman, Dominique Malonga

\[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1336"\]

![  After a solid 2024, Storm forward Jordan Horston missed the entire 2025 season due to a torn ACL. She will be critical to the team’s success next season. Credit: John Mac  ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/jordan_horston_-2853133689014-29_-28cropped-29-format-original.jpg)

After a solid 2024, Storm forward Jordan Horston missed the entire 2025 season due to a torn ACL. She will be critical to the team’s success next season. Credit: John Mac \[/caption\]

The Seattle Storm’s 2026 roster will likely look much different from how it did last season. Veterans may be on their way out, the new coaching staff will bring a different vision and the young core will be looking to build toward the future.

We’ve already looked at some of the other players who could be key to the Storm’s upcoming season, like Nika Mühl, but Seattle has another big talent coming off injury. Jordan Horston, the No. 9 overall pick in 2023, will also return next year after missing the entire 2025 season.

Horston was on the rise before tearing her ACL during the Athletes Unlimited schedule in the WNBA offseason. She, Mühl and Katie Lou Samuelson all missed the entire season with the same injury — limiting the Storm’s depth from what was previously expected.

But Horston could be one of the Storm’s most important pieces in 2026.

### **How Horston could change the Storm’s course**

Determining the rest of the Storm’s roster will be significant to making realistic projections for Horston’s impact, but her previous WNBA resume tells us a lot about how Sonia Raman may utilize her and how she will fit in with Dominique Malonga.

Horston’s numbers didn’t improve in 2024 from her rookie season, but she still finished fifth in the Most Improved Player and Sixth Woman of the Year award races. That’s mainly because of her drastically improved shooting efficiency (36.7% to 49.3%) and her continuing to impress as a defender.

**Horston 2024 numbers:** 22.3 mpg, 6.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.3 spg

It’s unclear whether Nneka Ogwumike will return next season. But she was the exceptionally efficient swing forward that carried the Storm’s offense. In combination with Malonga, who shot more than 55% from the field as a rookie, Seattle may have one of the better interior scoring duos in the league.

The point guard will be critical. Skylar Diggins is an excellent distributor and scorer at that position, but the flow of the Storm’s offense was held back by a poor scheme employed by Noelle Quinn.

Still, Diggins’ return is as uncertain as Ogwumike’s. Both are unrestricted free agents, 35 years old and will turn 36 during the 2026 season.

That’s why TCU’s Olivia Miles is such a high projected pick to the Storm. She could be the perfect fit to take over for Diggins and slot into the young lineup with Horston and Malonga. If Raman fills out the roster with veterans and hits on their second first-round pick as well, the Storm may suddenly not be as bad as many expect them to be next year.

Horston is a positionless player, similar to Gabby Williams. Having two players with that skill set who are also excellent athletes will solidify the interior game for Seattle. Williams seems committed to the Storm, especially if Raman can unlock her offensive game, which was underwhelming last season.

A lot is up in the air, but Horston could grow into the Ogwumike role moving forward. If she’s up to the challenge, the Storm could be contending for the playoffs sooner than later.