Jordan Horston’s Resurgence Encouraging For Storm
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2499"]
Seattle Storm wing Jordan Horston (23) drives into the lane during a 78-64 loss to the Washington Mystics on Wednesday, May 27, at Climate Pledge Arena. Credit: Courtesy of Seattle Storm [/caption]
Before the start of the 2026 season, Seattle Storm wing Jordan Horston hadn’t played basketball in 15 months. Horston tore her ACL while competing in Athletes Unlimited during the WNBA offseason and missed the entire 2025 season.
It’s been a slow ramp-up period for Horston so far this season, as she’s played in all nine games thus far while on a minutes restriction. She’s been steadily contributing on defense, but the offensive side has been a struggle for the former 2023 No. 9 overall pick.
In her first eight games, Horston averaged just 3.0 points (27.3% FG), 3.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.4 blocks per game in 17.5 minutes. She hadn’t been playing up to her starting role, and the Storm have been struggling overall.
Horston finally started to look like her old self in the Storm’s most recent game — a 93-72 loss to the Toronto Tempo. Even though it was a loss, Horston tied her season high of 22 minutes and finished with 15 points, four rebounds, one assist and four steals.
The Storm didn’t play well, but Horston showed the kind of player she can be when she gets back into a groove. That’s what the Storm need out of her as a starter.
“I thought Jordy was excellent today,” Storm guard Jade Melbourne said after the game on Saturday. “Just her ability to get in the lanes and stuff. For someone who, you know, it’s her ninth game of the season and she hasn’t played basketball in 18 months, this is huge. It’s back to the Jordy we all know and love, and we knew it was going to take time.”
Being off the court as long as she was, the adjustment back to full-speed basketball was expected, as Melbourne mentioned. Hortson is being tasked with a similar role that Gabby Williams filled for the franchise last season: A perimeter defensive specialist who can slash, shoot and distribute the ball.
Horston has filled the defensive role well; it’s just been the lack of offensive output (and the overall inefficiency) that has been lacking. If she can continue turning in performances like on Saturday, it’ll be a massive boost to the Storm’s offensive fluidity.
Williams is one of the best two-way players in the WNBA, so Horston has big shoes to fill. Horston doesn’t have to be that good, but she does need to prove she’s continuing to get better.
“Jordy is a lockdown defender, so the fact that she was able to turn defense into offense tonight and do her thing, that’s what she does and we expect that from her every night,” Melbourne added. “So, it’s just great to see her getting back into a groove.”
Even after a season-best performance, Horston made it clear she wasn’t satisfied.
“I mean, I was able to put the ball in the basket a little bit today, a little better, but I got to watch the game,” Horston said. “I’m very hard on myself, so I’ve just got to really sit down and really watch the game back.”
Horston still has a lot left to prove. Based on her most recent performance, however, she is trending in the right direction. Storm head coach Sonia Raman also asserted her confidence in Horston’s re-acclimation to the speed of the WNBA.
“Really proud of Jordan. She puts in the work, she’s been really dedicated in just trying to find her spots without forcing things,” Raman said. “But you saw her activity — her cutting, her slashing, trying to crash the boards, I think just trying to find ways to impact [the game] on both ends.
“I think just her offense coming along and being patient with it has been really good to see the progress that she’s made.”
