Storm Remain Steadfast in Approach For Final 5 Games
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Seattle Storm guard Jade Melbourne preps for a free throw attempts during the team’s 90-78 victory over the Toronto Tempo on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at Climate Pledge Arena. Credit: Courtesy of Seattle Storm [/caption]
On the surface, the Seattle Storm don’t have much left to play for this season. They have only won eight games and have long been eliminated from playoff contention. But that’s not how the team is approaching its final five games.
“We know that we can either end the season and look at ourselves like, ‘Wow, we didn't get better at nothing,’ or we can end the season and be like, ‘Look at this growth that we had, look at the things that we overcame,’” Storm rookie guard Flau’jae Johnson said after the team’s 90-78 win over the Toronto Tempo on Aug. 26.
“We got that ‘it’s still 0-0’ mentality, and we’re going to continue to get better.”
Johnson is one of six players whom the Storm have under contract for the 2027 season. She’s been a key piece in Seattle’s lineup as a rookie, starting all 37 games that she’s played in. That makes her deeply tied to the progression of the current roster.
The Storm’s most recent win, which was their second in the last five games, was a legitimate step forward. They held a late lead and preserved it to the finish line, posting 25 assists — their most in one game since mid-July.
Seattle has struggled mightily to close out games this season and complete promising comebacks that end up falling short. Any victory that reverses those trends is huge at this point in the campaign.
“Playing with the lead down the stretch is something that we have to get more reps at,” first-year Seattle Storm head coach Sonia Raman said. “And so I'm glad we were able to do that today.”
Jade Melbourne, who will be a restricted free agent this offseason, has stepped into the point guard role with Natisha Hiedeman sidelined by a shoulder injury. Melbourne is showing why, even though the Storm haven’t found much success this season, she could be an important player to re-sign for next season.
Melbourne was the aggressor and facilitator for Seattle against the Tempo, totaling 16 points, six rebounds, seven assists and one steal.
“It’s always her steadiness and delivering the ball where it’s supposed to be, and I just see her make a lot of plays as the point guard … just the way she’s facilitated,” Johnson said of Melbourne. “She had seven assists tonight, which is huge, and she led us in that category.”
Raman is attempting to lay down a foundation for the new era of Storm basketball this year. It’s been slower going than anticipated, but the roster has an undeniable talent ceiling that could have them competitive again in a few years.
Right now, a strong finish to the season for Raman and Seattle would be getting more clarity on exactly who — minus free agent additions and rookies, of course — will be a part of that foundation next season.
The Storm have had various starting lineups this season due to both injuries and adjustments for performance.
Seven different players have started 12 or more games, and that doesn’t even include current starter Ezi Magbegor, who has played in just 13 games (eight starts) this season due to injury. Raman has tried pairing Dominique Malonga, Awa Fam and Ezi Magbegor; gone small with Hiedeman, Melbourne, and Johnson all in the lineup; and many more combinations.
It seems like a bad thing at face value, particularly because a team constantly changing its starting lineup is either consistently hurt or not playing well — both of which are true for the Storm. But it has likely helped Raman in some ways, as she has been able to see how different lineups gel together.
Once the season is over, Raman and the front office can begin putting their offseason plans together based on the personnel they believe has a future with the franchise and in Raman’s system.
Even though the season has been a disappointment, it wouldn’t make any sense to move on from Raman after one year. That would reset the rebuilding process from a system and culture standpoint, and it’s unlikely to happen
From a personnel standpoint, Malonga, Johnson and Fam are the only players guaranteed to be in a Storm uniform next season. That’s the young core that the franchise drafted, and all its eggs are in their basket. What will happen to players like Magbegor, Hiedeman, Melbourne, Jordan Horston, and others on the team’s bench is the main question.
Seattle’s roster could look drastically different in 2027 for a second straight season. But five games remain in 2026, and Johnson asserts that nothing has changed in the Storm’s mindset.
The Storm will host the Los Angeles Sparks (14-25) at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30, in their final game before the FIBA break. They will resume WNBA play on Thursday, Sept. 17, against the Las Vegas Aces (27-13).
