Seattle Storm Roster Roundup: Will Madison Conner’s Shooting Ability Earn Her a Roster Spot?
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Former TCU and current Seattle Storm guard Madison Conner celebrates after a 3-pointer. Credit: Madison Conner/Instagram [/caption]
The WNBA Draft has come and gone, and the Seattle Storm will soon begin training camp on April 27. They will play a preseason game against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, May 4, before beginning the regular season on the road at the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday, May 17.
We already profiled all 12 Seattle players who weren’t expected to be suspended due to injury. Before the regular season begins and the Storm’s roster is finalized, we will profile each of the team’s four draft picks: forward/center Dominique Malonga (No. 2 overall), point guard Serena Sundell (No. 26), shooting guard Madison Conner (No. 29) and guard/forward Jordan Hobbs (No. 34).
Conner was the top 3-pointer in the country at TCU last season. On a Storm team desperate for shooters, can Conner somehow crack Seattle’s final roster?
Background
Conner (5-foot-11) attended Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona, for the first three seasons of her prep career. She averaged 20 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists while shooting 40% from 3-point range as a junior and reached the state semifinals. She committed to Arizona as part of the 2020 recruiting class.
Playing in just six games in 2020 as a true freshman, Conner received an expanded role in 2021–22. She came off the bench in 28 games, averaging 5.1 points per game in 12.2 minutes. However, Conner didn’t receive a big increase in playing time as a sophomore and she transferred to TCU at the end of the season.
Conner’s 3-point shooting percentage kept increasing as her career progressed. She started 27 games for TCU as a junior during 2023–24, immediately breaking the school record for 3-pointers made in one season (100). Conner earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors despite missing six games due to injury, finishing the season with averages of 19.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. She also shot 38.6% from beyond the arc.
With Hailey Van Lith transferring into TCU for the 2024–25 season, Conner took on more of a 3-point specialist role. Conner still started 37 of the Horned Frogs’ 38 games and played 32.8 minutes per game, but she attempted 26 more threes than she did as a junior.
As a result, Conner led the entire NCAA with 128 3-pointers made and averaged 14.4 points, 4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.9 steals per game. Conner posted at least four 3-pointers in 19 games, earning All-Big 12 First Team honors. TCU reached the first Elite Eight in program history, eventually falling to Texas in the quarterfinals.
Best Case Scenario
The Storm desperately need shooters. Forward Nneka Ogwumike shot 40.5% from range last season, but it wasn’t in a high volume. She attempted 74 shots and converted 30. Jewell Loyd, now in Las Vegas, was the team’s highest volume 3-point shooter (59 of 215) last season. Sami Whitcomb (Phoenix Mercury) was the team’s second-leading shooter from range.
Conner’s best bet to make the final roster is by making her shooting ability indispensable. If she can do that, the Storm would have to take a hard look at keeping her around despite their limited roster space. Then, if Conner does make the roster, she’d almost instantly have a role as a 3-point specialist. That could allow her around 10 minutes per game.
Worst Case Scenario
Conner made her money in college via shooting. The rest of her game is somewhat undeveloped, and she would surely be a specialist early in her WNBA career. If head coach Noelle Quinn doesn’t see enough value in that — or simply values the skill set of another player more — Conner could very easily be left off the roster. Especially if Quinn thinks the team can make do shooting-wise with Skylar Diggins-Smith and Lexie Brown.
No. 2 overall pick Dominique Malonga can stretch the floor, and the Storm could get enough long-range shooting spread across its lineup. Conner’s chances of making the roster are already slim, especially with Serena Sundell appearing to be a quality successor to Diggins-Smith in future seasons.
What to Expect in 2025
Brown, who Seattle acquired via trade this offseason, is the projected starting shooting guard if she can stay healthy. Brown has been efficient from beyond the arc at times, but it isn’t necessarily a strong suit of hers. Conner could add another dimension to the Storm’s offense, however, which is what makes keeping her around appealing. The team doesn’t have a sharpshooter.
The bottom line is both Conner and Jordan Hobbs — Seattle’s final pick in the draft — are long shots to make the roster. They will have to display more value than a post player to be kept around, which could still happen with Malonga now in town. Malonga’s presence makes the veteran post players slightly less valuable, and certainly more expendable. Conner has a trait no other Storm players have.
With the salary cap limits, which will probably keep the Storm’s roster to 11 players, it’s unlikely Conner makes the roster. However, if she does, there should immediately be a small role available.
