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The Seattle Storm are riding high after securing their third consecutive win, this time against the Chicago Sky with a 77-68 victory Tuesday at Wintrust Arena. Key to their success has been the outstanding performance of 24-year-old center Ezi Magbegor, who has been making waves on both ends of the court. Following the game, veteran guard Skylar Diggins-Smith did not hold back in her praise for Magbegor, highlighting her potential and impact on the game.
“I thought she was spectacular,” Diggins-Smith said about Magbegor, as reported by Percy Allen of The Seattle Times. “She’ll be in this (league) long when I’m out and gone, 10 more years plus. She’s really just scratching the surface of the player that I think we’ll see in final form.”
Magbegor’s defensive prowess was on full display as she set the tone early in the game. Marina Mabrey and Chennedy Carter of the Sky were left in disbelief as Magbegor blocked their apparent layup attempts, sending them sprawling to the floor.
“I can’t say those words,” said Storm coach Noelle Quinn when asked about her thoughts on Magbegor’s highlight blocks. “It’s just incredible. She’s getting it out the air. The force behind it. … It’s fun to see her grow.”
Ezi Magbegor an early contender or Defensive Player of the Year
This game was a statement for Magbegor, whose recent performances are putting her in the early running for WNBA Defensive Player of the Year honors. She finished with a season-high five blocks, three steals, 13 points and 12 rebounds, including four offensive boards. With her patrolling the paint, the Storm held the Sky to 40.9% shooting from the field and kept their second straight opponent under 70 points.
“My teammates do a great job of helping whenever I make mistakes and we all pick each other up,” Magbegor said, who is second in the WNBA with 2.9 blocks per game. “The blocks is where I can help my teammates out if I’m in the paint and someone is cutting. Just having a help mentality.”
Magbegor’s defensive impact was crucial as she had five of Seattle’s eight blocks while Chicago had none.
“The velocity of the impact when she connects (on blocks), it gives us an extra boost. Ezi is our defensive anchor and she’s always there to help. We know that she’s going to alter a shot or block a shot,” Quinn said.
Seattle’s offense was led by Diggins-Smith and Jewell Loyd. Diggins-Smith scored a game-high 21 points, connecting on 7 of 12 field goals, while Loyd added 19 points, six assists, and four rebounds. The Storm’s strong third quarter, where they outscored the Sky 26-15, seemed to put the game away, but Chicago made a late push with a 12-0 run, cutting the deficit to 71-64. However, a critical interception by Loyd followed by a three-pointer from Diggins-Smith sealed the win for Seattle.
“It was very timely and we needed it bad,” Diggins-Smith said. “I didn’t think it was the game, but I thought we needed it.”
The win marked the first time since 2022 that the Storm are above .500. The team’s Big Four, including Nneka Ogwumike, who added 10 points and five rebounds, combined for 63 points, nearly outscoring the entire Sky team.
The Storm (4-3) will look to continue their momentum as they wrap up their two-game road trip against the Indiana Fever (1-7) Thursday.
