Storm Roster Roundup: Can Former Top-10 Pick Zia Cooke Find a Role?
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Former Los Angeles Sparks and current Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke defends during a regular season game against the Phoenix Mercury in 2024. Credit: Zia Cooke/Instagram [/caption]
The Seattle Storm are nearing the WNBA Draft on April 14 and will begin their preseason soon after on May 4. It will be head coach Noelle Quinn’s fifth season leading the franchise and the first without franchise legend Jewell Loyd, ushering in a new era of Storm basketball.
As the 2025 season approaches, we will profile each of the 14 players currently on Seattle’s roster, exploring the best- and worst-case scenarios for each player while also examining realistic expectations. Then we will discuss the team’s draft selections and what they could add to the team.
Following an underwhelming pair of seasons in Los Angeles, former top-10 pick Zia Cooke is getting a fresh start with the Storm. Can she capitalize on a second chance?
Background
Cooke, a 5-9 guard, led Rogers High School in Toledo, Ohio, to back-to-back state titles in her junior and senior seasons. She averaged 21.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game as a senior and was rated a five-star recruit by ESPN. Cooke was named a McDonald’s All-American in 2019, and committed to South Carolina, where she would play all four of her college seasons.
Setting a program record with 33 starts as a freshman, Cooke was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2019–20 after averaging 12 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Cooke and South Carolina finished the season 33-1, but the NCAA Tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.
Cooke went on to win a National Championship with South Carolina in 2022 and finished her career averaging 13.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists, but she posted just a 38 percent field goal percentage. She finished second all-time in program history in games started (137) and eighth in career points (1,845), among other top 10 ranks.
The Los Angeles Sparks selected Cooke 10th overall in the 2023 WNBA Draft. As a rookie, Cooke played 39 games (four starts) and averaged 4.8 points, on 28.9 percent shooting — continuing to struggle from the field. Receiving about five fewer minutes per game in her second season, Cooke totaled 3.6 points per game last season on 32.1 percent shooting.
After two overseas stops during the WNBA offseason, Cooke was waived by the Sparks on Feb. 1. She signed a training camp contract with the Storm on Feb. 12.
Best Case Scenario
Finally realizing her untapped potential, Cooke latches on with the Storm and beats out forwards Brianna Fraser and Mackenzie Holmes as well as the team’s third-round pick for the 11th spot on the Seattle roster. Head coach Noelle Quinn opts for more guard depth, and Cooke maintains an end-of-the-bench roster spot during the regular season.
Cooke plays a facilitator role and improves on her shooting efficiency in her third WNBA season, displaying potential as a long-term role player.
Worst Case Scenario
Continuing her poor offensive efficiency in the pros, Cooke doesn’t present enough upside to provide a unique role within the Storm’s limited roster. Without elite defense to fall back on, Cooke is let go before the preseason while Quinn narrows down the team’s options at forward.
What to Expect in 2025
Cooke, along with the other fringe players on the Storm’s roster, have an uphill battle to make what may be just an 11-player regular season squad due to salary cap limitations. Most likely, Cook will be battling Holmes, Fraser and the team’s third-round pick for the final spot.
Considering the Storm are expected to land either Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles or UConn’s Paige Bueckers with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, it’s unlikely Cooke makes the roster. She would need to be drastically improved from her previous two seasons with the Sparks, which led to her being waived last month.
There’s a chance Cooke could be the surprise of training camp, but she will have to impress immediately and often.
