BOB's WNBA: There's a Storm brewing
TweetBOB'S WNBA: The WNBA season has opened and our Seattle-based US correspondent, BOB CRAVEN, brings us that city's Aussie perspective on its Storm content. Remember, WNBL MVP Aussies such as Lauren Jackson, Suzy Batkovic, Abby Bishop and Steph Talbot have been among the Storm's finest.
THE WNBA's 25th anniversary season tipped off today, and Seattle Storm beat writer Percy Allen had a season-opening piece in yesterday's SEATTLE TIMES on the Storm and the current roster, including some notes about each player.
Three of the Storm players this year are either Aussies or have connections there.
Not sure if this is too narrow a focus to be of interest to the reader base, but I don't have a list of Aussies/similar players at hand for the rest of the WNBA. I will try to find something on that.
Ezi Magbegor, #13, Centre/Forward
Age: 24 Height: 193cm
College/University: None
Country: Australia
Year: 5
It's a contract year for Magbegor. It'll be interesting to see if the Storm sign her to an extension before she becomes a free agent. If Magbegor improves on last year's career-high performance--and that's a big if considering the All-Star additions of free agent signees Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith - she'll likely command a super max salary of US$249,244, which might be too expensive for the Storm.
In the meantime, they are relying on Magbegor to anchor their defence while providing enough scoring to support her fellow All-Stars.
Sami Whitcomb, #32, Guard
Age: 35 Height 178cm
College/University: University of Washington
Country: Australia/U.S.
Year: 8
The veteran sharpshooter enters the season with a made three-pointer in her last 31 games, which is tied for the 15th longest streak in WNBA history. The Storm record is 33 games set by Sue Bird during the 2016 and '17 seasons. The Storm need as many three-pointers as Whitcomb can give.
In addition, the two-time WNBA champion is being asked to provide veteran leadership and take control of the second unit as an offensive threat off the bench or de facto point guard. She played for the Storm previously in 2017-20 and also again last season.
Mercedes Russell, #21, Centre
Age: 28 Height 198cm
College/University: U. of Tennessee
Country: U.S.
Year: 7
At her best in 2021 and 2019, Russell was a cerebral and versatile big-bodied centre capable of directing the offence from the high post, defending the rim and scoring when needed with high efficiency. She helped the Storm win two WNBA championships, but she hasn't been the same since suffering recurring low-pressure headache syndrome, which required season-ending surgery in July 2022.
During the WNBA offseason, Russell played in Australia and helped lead the Southside Flyers to a 2023-24 WNBL title and was named Rachael Sporn Medallist as the Championship series MVP.
Russell is a native of Springfield, Oregon, about five miles from where I grew up and where I played at the U. of Oregon. She is a former US national high school player of the year before becoming an All-American at the U. of Tennessee.