Seattle Storm facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Seattle Storm
Conference	Western
Leagues	WNBA
Founded	2000
History	Seattle Storm 2000–present
Arena	Climate Pledge Arena
Location	Seattle, Washington
Team colors	Thunder green, lightning yellow, bolt green
Main sponsor	Swedish Medical Center
General manager	Talisa Rhea
Head coach	Noelle Quinn
Assistant(s)	Pokey Chatman Ebony Hoffman Mitch Thompson
Ownership	Dawn Trudeau Lisa Brummel Ginny Gilder Sue Bird Bobby Wagner
Championships	4 (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020)
Conference titles	2 (2004, 2010)
Commissioner's Cup titles	1 (2021)
Retired numbers	2 (10, 15)
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The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington. They play in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as part of the Western Conference. The team started in 2000, founded by Ginger and Barry Ackerley.

Today, the Storm is owned by Force 10 Hoops LLC, a group of Seattle businesswomen including Dawn Trudeau, Lisa Brummel, and Ginny Gilder. Former player Sue Bird and NFL player Bobby Wagner also joined the ownership group.

The Storm has been very successful, making it to the WNBA playoffs in 19 of their 25 seasons. Many famous players have been on the team, like Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Breanna Stewart, Betty Lennox, and Lauren Jackson. The Seattle Storm has won the WNBA Championship four times: in 2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020. They are one of only two teams that have never lost in the WNBA Finals.

The team is known for its fun, family-friendly games. They have an all-kid dance squad that leads a conga line during timeouts. The team's name comes from Seattle's rainy weather. Their mascot is Doppler, a furry creature with a cup anemometer on its head. The theme song for home games is "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC.

Before 2008, the Storm was connected to the Seattle SuperSonics (an NBA team). But then, the Storm was sold to Force 10 Hoops LLC, becoming its own team.

Team History

Early Years (2000–2001)

Before the Storm, Seattle had a team called the Seattle Reign in a different league. When that league closed, Seattle quickly got a WNBA team. The Seattle Storm played their first season in 2000. They were coached by Lin Dunn and had players like Edna Campbell and Kamila Vodichkova.

The team finished with a tough 6–26 record. However, this low record allowed them to pick a talented 19-year-old Australian player, Lauren Jackson, in the draft. Even though the Storm didn't make the playoffs in 2001, Jackson's great start gave the team a strong base to build on.

Sue Bird Joins and First Championship (2002–2004)

Sue Bird, a key player for the Storm.

In 2002, the Storm drafted UConn star Sue Bird. She became the team's point guard, helping to organize their plays. With Bird's passing skills and Jackson's scoring, the team reached the playoffs for the first time in 2002. However, they lost to the Los Angeles Sparks.

Anne Donovan became the new coach in 2003. That year, Lauren Jackson won the WNBA Most Valuable Player Award. But Sue Bird was injured for much of the season, and the Storm missed the playoffs.

In 2004, the Storm had their best record yet, 20 wins and 14 losses. In the playoffs, they easily beat the Minnesota Lynx. Then, they faced the Sacramento Monarchs in the Western Conference Finals and won that series too. In the WNBA Finals, the Storm became champions by defeating the Connecticut Sun 2 games to 1. Betty Lennox was named the MVP of the Finals. Anne Donovan made history as the first female head coach to win a WNBA Championship.

Regular Playoff Appearances (2005–2009)

After their championship, some key players left the Storm in 2005. Even though they had the same record as 2004 and made the playoffs, they lost in the first round to the Houston Comets.

In 2006, the Storm again made the playoffs but lost to the Sparks. In 2007, they had an even record (17–17) and were swept out of the playoffs by the Phoenix Mercury.

Anne Donovan stepped down as coach in late 2007, and Brian Agler took over in 2008. That year, the Storm had a great season with a 22–12 record and a fantastic 16–1 home record. But they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Sparks. In 2009, the Storm again finished second in their conference but lost to the Sparks in the first round for the fifth year in a row.

Second Championship Victory (2010)

The 2010 season was amazing for the Storm. They won 28 games and lost only 6 in the regular season. They were perfect at home, winning all 17 games at KeyArena, which was a WNBA record.

Lauren Jackson was named WNBA MVP for the third time, and Brian Agler was named Coach of the Year. In the playoffs, the Storm finally broke their losing streak against the Sparks, sweeping them. They then swept the Phoenix Mercury and the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA Finals. With this second championship, the Storm became Seattle's most successful professional sports team.

In June 2011, President Barack Obama invited the 2010 WNBA champion Seattle Storm to the White House. He praised the team for being great role models and for their community work.

Challenges in the Postseason (2011–2014)

The 2011 WNBA season had high hopes, but injuries hit many players, especially Lauren Jackson. Despite this, Sue Bird and Swin Cash kept the team strong, finishing second in the WNBA. However, they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by a last-second shot from the Mercury.

In 2012, with Jackson often away or injured, the team struggled with more injuries. They made the playoffs but lost a close series to the Minnesota Lynx. After losing to the Lynx again in the first round of the 2013 playoffs, the Storm missed the playoffs entirely in 2014. This was the first time they missed the playoffs since 2003.

New Stars and More Championships (2015–2021)

After their coach and general manager left, the Storm brought in new leadership. They made trades and drafted new players like Jewell Loyd in 2015. Even though they missed the playoffs that year, Jewell Loyd won the Rookie of the Year Award.

In 2016, the Storm picked Breanna Stewart as the first overall draft pick. Stewart quickly became a star, winning Rookie of the Year. Loyd also improved, and together they became a powerful duo. The Storm returned to the playoffs but lost in the first round.

Loyd and Stewart continued to get better in 2017, and both became All-Stars along with Sue Bird. The Storm made the playoffs again but lost in the first round.

The 2018 season saw the Storm become a top team. They added Natasha Howard and Jordin Canada. Bird, Loyd, and Stewart all became All-Stars, forming a "big three." Sue Bird also broke records for scoring and assists. The Storm finished with the best record and won the 2018 Most Valuable Player award. They reached the WNBA Finals and swept the Washington Mystics to win their third championship. Stewart was named Finals MVP.

The 2019 season was tough due to injuries. Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird both missed the entire season. Their coach, Dan Hughes, also had a health issue. Despite this, players like Natasha Howard and Jordin Canada stepped up. The team made the playoffs but lost in the second round.

The 2020 WNBA season was unique, played entirely in Florida due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Storm, with Bird and Stewart back, didn't lose a single game in the playoffs. They defeated the Las Vegas Aces to win their fourth championship, with Stewart again named Finals MVP. In 2021, the Storm won the first-ever WNBA Commissioner's Cup.

New Home Arena (2022–Present)

A 2022 regular season game at Climate Pledge Arena.

The Storm moved to their new home, Climate Pledge Arena, for the 2022 WNBA season. Their first game there was on May 6, 2022. Sue Bird announced she would retire at the end of that season. Her last regular season game drew a record crowd of 18,100 fans. This record was broken on May 22, 2024, with 18,343 fans attending a game against the Indiana Fever.

On July 23, 2025, NFL player Bobby Wagner joined the team's ownership group. The Storm will play their first WNBA regular season game outside the United States on August 15, 2025, against the Atlanta Dream in Vancouver, Canada.

Team Identity: Name, Logo, and Colors

The Storm's name was chosen because Seattle is known for its rainy weather. The name also suggests an "aggressive nature" in sports. The team had always preferred the name "Storm."

Team Logo

The first logo showed a rounded shape of the Space Needle, a famous Seattle landmark, against a green storm cloud. The team name was angled, with lightning bolts through it. A basketball orbited the Space Needle.

In 2016, the team updated its branding, removing the color red. The logos kept a similar design but used a simpler color scheme. An older alternate logo, just an "S" on a green oval, was sometimes used on jerseys.

In March 2021, the team released a completely new logo and colors. The new logo shows a simpler Space Needle linked with a basketball, and a small lightning bolt. The shape of the logo is pointed, like Mount Rainier. The new colors are dark green, yellow, and bright green.

Team Colors

Like many early WNBA teams, the Storm was first owned by its NBA partner, the Seattle SuperSonics. The Storm's original colors were pine green, maroon red, bronze, and white. When the Sonics changed owners and colors, the Storm kept their original colors to stand out.

In 2008, the Storm was sold to Force 10 Hoops LLC, separating them from the Sonics, who moved to Oklahoma City. Force 10 Hoops also kept the original colors.

The 2016 branding update changed the official team colors to thunder green (a lighter shade) and lightning yellow, with white and thunder gray as accent colors. The 2021 design kept lightning yellow and dark thunder green, adding bright bolt green instead of gray.

Team Activities Off the Court

Team Ownership

The Seattle Storm has had several owners over the years.

• Barry and Ginger Ackerley, who also owned the Seattle SuperSonics (2000–2001)
• Howard Schultz, who owned the Seattle SuperSonics (2001–2006)
• Clay Bennett, who owned the Seattle SuperSonics (2007)
• Force 10 Hoops LLC, a group of Seattle women: Dawn Trudeau, Lisa Brummel, Ginny Gilder (2008–present)
  • Sue Bird (2024–present)
  • Bobby Wagner (2025–present)

In 2006, there were disagreements about renovating the KeyArena. The Sonics and Storm were sold to a group from Oklahoma City. This group planned to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City. To keep the Storm in Seattle, a group of four Seattle women called Force 10 Hoops, LLC, bought the team for $10 million in 2008. This sale was approved, keeping the Storm in Seattle and separating it from the Sonics.

Uniform Sponsors

In 2010, the Storm announced a deal with Bing, a search engine from Microsoft. Bing's logo was placed on the team's jerseys until 2013. After two seasons without a sponsor, the Storm signed a new deal with Swedish Medical Center in 2016.

Temporary Home Arenas

When Climate Pledge Arena was closed for renovations to become suitable for the Seattle Kraken hockey team, the Storm needed a temporary home. In 2018, they announced that their main home for the 2019 season would be University of Washington's Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle. Some games were also played at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Storm played all their games in Florida.

Training Facility

From 2000 to 2008, the Storm shared a training facility with the SuperSonics. After the SuperSonics moved, the Storm moved to Royal Brougham Pavilion at Seattle Pacific University. In 2022, the team announced plans for its own dedicated training facility in Seattle. Construction began in 2023, and the facility opened in April 2024.

The Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance is the first dedicated training facility built for a WNBA team. It's a two-story building with 53,000 square feet of space. It has two full-size basketball courts, two half-courts, offices, a gym, and a kitchen. There are also plans for rooftop solar panels.

Players and Staff

Current Roster

Seattle Storm roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Height Weight DOB From Yrs G 10 Bird, Sue 5' 9" (1.75m) 150 lb (68kg) 10-16-1980 Connecticut 18 F 1 Gray, Reshanda 6' 2" (1.88m) 192 lb (87kg) 06-01-1993 California* 5 G 20 January, Briann 5' 8" (1.73m) 148 lb (67kg) 01-11-1987 Arizona State 13 F 14 Lavender, Jantel 6' 4" (1.93m) 185 lb (84kg) 11-12-1988 Ohio State 10 G 24 Loyd, Jewell 5' 10" (1.78m) 148 lb (67kg) 10-05-1993 Notre Dame 7 C 13 Magbegor, Ezi 6' 4" (1.93m) 176 lb (80kg) 08-13-1999 Australia 2 G 11 Prince, Epiphanny 5' 9" (1.75m) 179 lb (81kg) 01-11-1988 Rutgers 12 C 21 Russell, Mercedes 6' 6" (1.98m) 195 lb (88kg) 07-27-1995 Tennessee 4 F 30 Stewart, Breanna 6' 4" (1.93m) 170 lb (77kg) 08-27-1994 Connecticut 5 F 7 Talbot, Stephanie 6' 2" (1.88m) 192 lb (87kg) 06-15-1994 Australia 4 F 5 Williams, Gabby 5' 11" (1.8m) 172 lb (78kg) 09-09-1996 Connecticut 3	Head coach Noelle Quinn (UCLA) Assistant coaches Pokey Chatman (LSU) Ebony Hoffman (Southern California) Perry Huang (Fresno Pacific) Athletic trainer Caroline Durocher Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured   WNBA roster page
East ATL CHI CON IND NY WAS West DAL LV LA MIN PHO SEA

Retired Numbers

The Seattle Storm has honored two players by retiring their jersey numbers. This means no other player on the team will ever wear these numbers again.

Head Coaches

Here are the head coaches who have led the Seattle Storm:

General Managers

The general manager helps build the team by drafting players and making trades.

• Lin Dunn (2000–2002)
• Billy McKinney (2002–2003)
• Karen Bryant (2004–2010)
• Brian Agler (2011–2014)
• Alisha Valavanis (2015–2021)
• Talisa Rhea (2021–present)

Assistant Coaches

Assistant coaches help the head coach with training, strategy, and player development.

Player Achievements

All-Stars

Many Storm players have been chosen to play in the WNBA All-Star Game, which features the best players in the league.

• 2001: Lauren Jackson
• 2002: Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson
• 2003: Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson
• 2004: Sue Bird
• 2005: Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson
• 2006: Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson
• 2007: Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson
• 2009: Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Lauren Jackson
• 2010: Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Lauren Jackson
• 2011: Sue Bird, Swin Cash
• 2013: Tina Thompson
• 2014: Sue Bird
• 2015: Sue Bird
• 2017: Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart
• 2018: Sue Bird, Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart
• 2019: Jewell Loyd, Natasha Howard
• 2021: Sue Bird, Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart
• 2022: Sue Bird, Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart
• 2023: Jewell Loyd, Ezi Magbegor
• 2024: Jewell Loyd, Nneka Ogwumike

Olympians

Several Storm players have represented their countries in the Olympic Games.

• 2004: Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson (AUS)
• 2008: Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson (AUS), Kelly Santos (BRA)
• 2012: Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson (AUS)
• 2016: Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, Ramu Tokashiki (JPN)
• 2020: Sue Bird, Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart, Stephanie Talbot (AUS), Ezi Magbegor (AUS)
• 2024: Jewell Loyd, Ezi Magbegor (AUS), Sami Whitcomb (AUS)

Honors and Awards

Storm players and coaches have won many awards for their outstanding performance.

Game Broadcasts

In 2025, the Storm announced that games not shown on national TV would be broadcast by KOMO-TV (Seattle's ABC channel) and KUNS-TV (Seattle's CW channel).

From 2016 to 2024, Storm games were broadcast on KCPQ or KZJO. The announcers for Storm games are Dick Fain and Elise Woodward.

In 2022, Amazon Prime Video also made a deal with the Seattle Storm. This made Prime Video the official streaming service for the Storm, showing about 30 games to customers in Washington state.

Some Storm games have also been shown nationally on channels like ESPN, ESPN2, Ion Television, CBS, CBS Sports Network, and ABC.

See also

In Spanish: Seattle Storm para niños