SEATTLE – A pair of new team members with All-Star credentials, a brand-new facility to practice and train. A new season. A new outlook.

And how is Seattle Storm coach Noelle Quinn approaching all of this newness?

By keeping it simple …

… and not being in a hurry.

“Because we have a lot of talent, my mind goes to, ‘We can do this and we can do this,’” Quinn said. “But at the end of the day, there is beauty in simplicity I want them to feel comfortable with putting them on the floor where they can be successful.

“To be able to (combine) elite athletes who want to compete at a high level with young athletes who got a lot of reps, it’s a recipe for something that can gain success,” Quinn added. “But I’m just taking it one day at a time.”

“One day at time” will take on a heightened sense of importance this week as the Storm tip off their 25^th WNBA season. Up first is a home-and-home set with Western Conference rival Minnesota. The Lynx visit Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., then will head back to Minneapolis for a return visit from Seattle on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Pacific time.

Last year’s Storm squad had a new look following the retirement of legendary Sue Bird (now a part of the team’s ownership group) and the departure of former MVP Breanna Stewart to New York via free agency.

That opened the door for guard Jewell Loyd to emerge as the league’s premier scorer. Her season total of 939 points eclipsed the previous mark of 860 set by Diana Taurasi of Phoenix in 2006.

It opened the door for Ezi Magbegor to develop into a first-time All-Star, as she averaged 13.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocked shots per game.

It opened the door for rookie Jordan Horston to find her footing, as she averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in playing 36 of the 40 games, with 17 starts.

For all those positive developments (and several others), the Storm still finished 11-29. Another new look would be forthcoming as they sought to return to their customary spot among the league’s playoff contenders.

 

BLENDING THEIR TALENTS – AND THEIR LEADERSHIP

But what would that “new look”, look like?

It certainly would include Loyd, who signed a two-year contract extension the day before the season ended. It would include Magbegor, Horston, Mercedes Russell, and Sami Whitcomb.

During the first five days of February, that new look became much more pronounced, point guard Skylar Diggins-Smith signed on Feb. 1, the first day of free agency. Just four days later, former league MVP Nneka Ogwumike signed.

Just like that, the Storm had two more All-Stars aboard: Diggins-Smith with her career averages of 16.7 points, 5.0 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game (though she missed the 2023 season on maternity leave) and Ogwumike with hers of 16.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and .545 field goal shooting in 12 seasons, all with the Los Angeles Sparks, including a league title and MVP award in 2016.

“The challenge is accelerating the synergy and chemistry within a week and a half or two weeks,” Quinn said during the early stages of training camp. “I’ve challenged my team to do a lot of that chemistry building off the floor. So what happens in the locker room, the weight room, outside of this building, is very important. What happens in this building is important outside of the basketball court, getting them to know each other.

“At the end of the day when we know we’re in this thing together, we play harder for each other,” Quinn continued. “If we can get the chemistry accelerated, I feel like the on-court stuff will be accelerated, as well.”

Quinn already has been seeing some of that between Loyd and Diggins-Smith.

“I liken it to a family reunion,” she said of the former Notre Dame teammates. “You don’t see your family for some time, but when they come back, it’s all love. Obviously, it’s business, as well, because we’re on a mission to try to compete at a high level – basketball is our job.

“They’ve won a lot together. They’re at different points in their lives – Sky is a mom, Jewell is a businesswoman and has done so many great things in this organization. I think it’s great to see that chemistry.”

During their introductory press conference with Seattle media in February, Ogwumike and Diggins-Smith made it clear this is still Loyd’s team. But already, the leadership of the three together has been coming through in the few short weeks leading up to Tuesday’s opener.

“Jewell had to step up her leadership (last year) in a way she hadn’t had to in her career. She got experience with it and found her voice and understood what leadership looked like for her,” Quinn said. “Now you bring in two amazing players and their presence is felt just by being on the court, but also with their voices and how they lead.

“Their leadership fits with Jewell’s leadership. Jewell may lead one way, Nneka may have another way, as does Skylar. Right now, what I’m seeing is complementary leadership.”