The Seattle Storm are setting their sights high for the upcoming season, with newly signed All-Stars Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike bringing a championship mindset to a team looking to bounce back from a rebuilding phase. Meeting the Seattle media for the first time on Feb. 19 since signing earlier this month, Diggins-Smith didn't shy away from making the team's ambitions known.
“Hopefully just continuing that legacy of bringing a great product on the floor to compete for the championship,” Diggins-Smith said, per Kevin Pelton of ESPN. “I'll put that out there since we didn't say that word. That's everybody's goal, and I think it's how we go about things and habits that we create that will help us get closer to that.”
The Storm, who ended their 2023 season with a disappointing 11-29 record, are no strangers to success, having clinched WNBA championships in 2018 and 2020 and the 2021 Commissioner's Cup. The team's aggressive approach to free agency, signing stars like Ogwumike, a league MVP and eight-time All-Star, and Diggins-Smith, a six-time All-WNBA selection, signals a clear intent to return to their winning ways.
The foundation for this revitalized push arguably began with Jewell Loyd's contract extension last September, which has proved to be a strategic move by general manager Talisa Rhea. Loyd's extension not only secured her talent for the team but also positioned her as a pivotal figure in attracting other stars to Seattle.
Diggins-Smith connected with Loyd, Ogwumike
“I connected with one person very early in the process, and that was Jewell,” Diggins-Smith said. “If I wasn't talking to Jewell, I was talking to Nneka. Those were the two players that I talked to the most. … I want to be around winners. I think it's really important at this point of my career to be around people that know me, and (Nneka) knows me and I know her.”
Diggins-Smith and Loyd share a Notre Dame connection, while Ogwumike and Diggins-Smith have known each other since childhood. Their shared experiences, including winning gold medals with USA Basketball, has fostered a mutual respect and a team-first attitude that's expected to translate into a competitive edge on the court.
Ogwumike underscored the importance of the process over the outcome, emphasizing daily competition and discipline as key to achieving their goals. This disciplined approach is shared by the entire team, from the players to coach Noelle Quinn, who embodies these characteristics.
The Storm's commitment to excellence extends off the court as well, with the upcoming opening of a dedicated WNBA practice facility, signaling the franchise's investment in providing the best for its athletes. Both Diggins-Smith and Ogwumike expressed their excitement about the resources and the sense of ownership that comes with the new facility.
As the Storm integrate these All-Star talents into their roster, the anticipation is palpable, with both players and coaches eager to blend their skills and experiences to create a formidable team. “We going to have some fun,” Ogwumike said, reflecting the optimistic spirit surrounding the team's future. With such a mindset and the resources to match, the Seattle Storm are poised to be a team to watch in the race for the WNBA championship.