Sleepless.
That’s how Seattle fans were just over a year ago.
One half of the WNBA’s GOAT, Sue Bird, called it a classic career. Leaving behind a legacy and so many memories as she watched her jersey fly to the rafters.
Then, the other half of the dynamic-duo, Breanna Stewart, signed with the New York Liberty, for a super team that even gives the Las Vegas Aces a run for their chips.
But now, Seattle has their own super team in the works. Just when the Storm faithful thought this was getting as bad as when the Supersonics left town to become the Thunder.
Early forecasts call for reign again. The last time this happened in the NBA, Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton were the high-flying, braggadocios court counter to the tried and tested pick and roll ran by the ever reliable Utah Jazz tandem of Karl Malone and John Stockton.
This is the “W” though. Seattle still has a basketball team, despite what Joe Budden tweeted during ‘The Last Dance’.
And they’ve really got one now.
Can you contend with this?
They even had one last year, where without Stewie and Suey, ‘Gold Mamba’ Jewell Loyd laced them up and put the whole franchise on her back with the city behind her.
Putting up huge numbers and reminding us of the way of Wade, when Miami’s Dwyane (whose about to receive his own statue, like Kobe) took the Heat to new levels all by himself. Right before forming Voltron with a King and a Raptor.
How’s this for a big-three, though?
Loyd can now rely on scoring help, and so much more star power. Seattle began rising a few weeks ago when superstar guard Skylar Diggins-Smith left the Phoenix Mercury to sign a two-year deal in Emerald City. Linking up with Jewell, her former Notre Dame teammate, already gave the Storm one of the best backcourts in the association. But look at what else the wind brought in.
With one social media post before free agency began, former Stanford star, WNBA MVP and champion, Nneka Ogwumike put the W on notice. With a “Thank You” post to the Los Angeles Sparks, she declared that this was it. Although an “LA, I hope it’s not goodbye, but ‘see you later’”, confused a few. Was she coming back if the contract was right on the money?
No dice, I’m afraid.
Now, Nneka has signed with Seattle, forming a big three that could rival the Liberty, or all the cards that the Aces are holding. Don’t bet on this year’s WNBA finals being a lock for repeating last year’s. It’s out with the old and in with a fresh cup of Seattle brew.
The best roast.
In 2022, Diggins-Smith averaged 19.7 points, a near career-high 5.5 assists, four rebounds per game and MVP talk in Arizona. However, a dispute with the Mercury over maternity leave seemed to burn a bridge that would never be built again. A real shame when you realize how much women give to this game and how little they are afforded in return.
Courted by the Phoenix Mercury, Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty (now that would have been scary), former Most Valuable Player Ogwumike logged 19.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season gone. The former number one pick and rookie of the year was also in the MVP running too.
After lighting the fuse for the Sparks for her entire career to this point, Nneka now brings a storm front to the same western conference she’s always dominated.
All three Seattle stars could be MVP candidates next season. But they have a bigger, golden goal this time out.
Get ready to take cover.
The Seattle Storm have just entered the super team group chat.
