Seattle Storm Draft: Franchise-Altering Talent Incoming at No. 2 Overall
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Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles dribbles the ball towards midcourt in a regular season game. Credit: Olivia Miles/Instagram [/caption]
The Seattle Storm are entering a new era in 2025. Two of the franchise’s four WNBA titles were won with 2015 first overall pick and six-time All-Star Jewell Loyd as a primary contributor. Loyd, who demanded a trade after an underwhelming season, was dealt to the Las Vegas Aces earlier this month as part of a three-team trade.
In return, assuming they don’t make another trade, the Storm possess their highest first-round draft pick in nearly a decade. Seattle hasn’t had a top 5 selection since 2018 after having three picks inside the first three selections from 2015–16. Those selections: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Breanna Stewart and Loyd — the latter two of whom became Storm legends.
“Over the last ten years, along with winning two WNBA championships, two Olympic gold medals and earning six all-star appearances, among several other accomplishments, Jewell [Loyd] established herself as one of the best to play the game. Our entire franchise, from our ownership group to our fans, and everyone in between, loved watching her on the court, seeing her impact on the game and witnessing how she inspired countless young athletes,” Storm President and CEO Alisha Valavanis said in a press release following the trade. “We are grateful for Jewell’s time with us and all she poured into our community, on and off the court. We wish her all the best in her move to Las Vegas.”
Loyd finished her Storm career in the top 3 in franchise history in multiple statistical categories and was second behind only Sue Bird in assists, steals and 3-pointers made.
The Storm now have the second overall pick in this year’s draft. Whoever is available when Seattle is on the clock has the potential to be another franchise-altering talent. After a 25-15 season that ended with a first-round playoff exit, the Storm have a chance to more adequately fulfill the hype of last year’s should-be super team.
UConn star guard Paige Bueckers is almost unanimously projected to go first overall to the Dallas Wings. But Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles — another backcourt standout — is narrowing that gap, ensuring Dallas and Seattle end up with a game-changing guard regardless of who the Wings select.
Among 15 reputable WNBA mock drafts published between Nov. 18 and Feb. 24, only one has Miles going first overall to the Wings. Bueckers is headed to Dallas in 14 of those mock drafts. Ten have Miles going to Seattle at No. 2 overall, and five projected the Storm to select USC forward Kiki Iriafen — another elite prospect, but not a position of need for the franchise.
Miles incoming
Despite suffering a torn ACL in February 2023 and missing her entire junior season, Miles has helped lead Notre Dame to a 24-4 record this season with one game remaining in the regular season. Miles and sophomore phenom Hannah Hidalgo have molded into a potent scoring duo for the 2024–25 Fighting Irish which are currently ranked third in the country.
The team is on a two-game skid, sustaining losses to No. 13 NC State and No. 24 Florida State, and may fall in the upcoming AP Poll. But they are in prime position for a deep NCAA Tournament run (beginning March 19), and Miles keeps climbing the 2025 prospect ranks.
Miles is averaging 16.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 6 assists and 1.4 steals in 33.9 minutes per game this season. She’s shooting 51.4 percent overall and 41.3 percent from 3-point range on 5.5 long-range attempts per contest.
Loyd’s departure begs for Seattle to acquire a guard who can balance distributing the ball and scoring. While Bueckers has indeed been a more prolific scorer during her college career, Miles has displayed a more balanced skill set when healthy. Miles is also more than a year younger.
Six-time All-Star and four-time WNBA first-teamer Skylar Diggins-Smith filled the distributor role for Seattle in 2024, but she’ll be 35 by the end of next season. The team must prepare for the future.
The addition of Miles would provide Storm head coach Noelle Quinn with a top-end talent who she could allow to develop via playing time and under the tutelage of other veteran backcourt members. It’s the perfect time to add a well-rounded talent and could keep the team competitive even with Loyd's departure.
More depth is never a bad thing, and Quinn had eight players averaging at least 15 minutes per game last season en route to 25 wins.
A chance of Bueckers, or others
The strangest part of the women’s college basketball and WNBA relationship is the turnaround from the end of the season to the professional draft. The NCAA championship is on April 6, and the WNBA Draft is eight days later.
Thus, the player evaluation process leads directly up to the selection day, and college players — while likely more focused on trying to win a national title — are outright battling for teams’ favor in short order.
If Miles leads Notre Dame to a title while playing her best basketball, and No. 5 UConn fizzles out with a lack of heroics from Bueckers, the projected draft order may flip. It’s also possible that Dallas, behind closed doors, simply prefers Miles’ skillset and roster fit.
But if the Storm are targeting their backcourt, a premium player will fall to them regardless. If they do decide to build the frontcourt with Nneka Ogwumike also entering her 14th season, Iriafen is a quality option. Ogwumike signed another one-year deal with the Storm at the end of January.
With a nucleus of Ogwumike, Diggins-Smith, Gabby Williams, Ezi Magbegor and Miles/Bueckers, Seattle should remain in playoff contention in 2025. Anything less would be a disappointment for a second-straight season.
Seattle’s stars are aging, but they also currently have three first-round picks in 2026 which, if that remains, would be the first time in franchise history the Storm will have a trio in the first 13 picks. They can stay in win-now mode while building the future roster with their current resources.
