Storm's five burning questions before WNBA training camps open

SEATTLE — The Sonia Raman era begins with a bit of a glitch.

The Seattle Storm’s seventh coach in franchise history opens her first training camp Sunday without Awa Fam, their top draft pick and No. 3 overall selection.

On Tuesday, the 19-year-old phenom flew home to Spain and it’s unclear when she’ll make her Storm practice debut, which isn’t entirely uncommon.

Last year, Dominique Malonga, Seattle’s No. 2 overall pick, returned to France after attending the WNBA draft in New York City to finish her Eurobasket season with LDLC Asvel Feminin. She missed the first week of Storm practice.

Fam is among the many newcomers for the reconfigured Storm, now vastly different from the team that finished 23-21 and lost in the first round of the WNBA playoffs last season.

The 52-year-old Raman, who spent last year as a New York Liberty assistant following a four-year stint as an assistant with the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, is tabbed to oversee a Storm reset after three years of mediocrity.

Obviously, we have questions — lots of them. But, for now, let’s address the five most burning topics heading into camp.

The Big 3

Contrary to media speculation, the Storm retained seven-year veteran Ezi Magbegor and signed the 6-foot-4 forward/center to a three-year, $3.75 million contract, which is the third-richest deal in WNBA history.

After Seattle lost its top five scorers left via free agency, Magbegor, 26, is the leading returning scorer from last year (8.0 points per game) and the lone holdover from the team’s WNBA championship in 2023.

The Storm are equally invested in the 20-year-old Malonga, a 6-6 center who averaged 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds while claiming All-Rookie team honors last year, and the 6-4 Fam, whom many league observers considered to be the draft prospect with the most upside.

Still, it’s unlikely all three will remain with the Storm in 2028 when Magbegor and Malonga enter the final year of their deals, which makes the next two seasons pivotal.

Seattle needs to identify and develop one of them — or perhaps two — into a perennial All-Star/MVP-caliber player who can carry a team to a championship much like homegrown superstars Lauren Jackson and Breanna Stewart, who sparked its four league titles.

The Storm will continue making early playoffs exits until it finds someone in the low post who can contend against WNBA greats A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Alyssa Thomas and Aliyah Boston.

Hello again

The Storm rebuild may not have happened if Jordan Horston and Katie Lou Samuelson hadn’t suffered season-ending ACL injuries that kept them on the sideline in 2025.

Both are dynamic forwards who might have been the missing pieces in key supportive roles on a championship-contending team last year. Horston is an adept perimeter defender while Samuelson has shot 33.6% on 3-pointers during her five-year career.

During training camp, they’ll likely battle each other for a starting spot at the 3, and both should see plenty of action this season.

Old vets, new opportunity

At 34, Stefanie Dolson is the oldest player on the team with just two players over 30. She signed a one-year, $750,000 contract and it remains to be seen how much the two-time All-Star center has to give in her 13th season.

Last year, Dolson averaged 3.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 15.2 minutes while starting 14 of 43 games with the Washington Mystics. Her locker-room leadership may be more valuable than her floor production.

The 29-year-old Natisha Hiedeman also brings value on and off the court.

After two years as a backup point guard with the Minnesota Lynx where she averaged a career-high-tying 9.1 points and 2.8 assists last season, she signed a two-year, $1.5 million deal seemingly with the expectation of taking on a larger role.

Additionally, Hiedeman’s most important duty may include mentoring rookie guard Taina Mair, who was taken in the first round of this year’s draft, and third-year veteran Jade Melbourne.

Y’all ready for Flau’jae?

Considering the star power that left in free agency (Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams, Brittney Sykes and Erica Wheeler), don’t be surprised if first-year combo guard Flau’jae Johnson immediately earns a spot in the starting lineup and contends for Rookie of the Year honors.

Somebody must score and no one on the roster averaged more than 10 points in the WNBA last season.

During her decorated four-year career at LSU, Johnson was a three-level scorer while averaging 14.6 points and shooting 46.7% from the field, 37.3% on 3-pointers and 74.8% on free throws in 141 games, including 139 starts.

Eight players vie for one spot

General manager Talisa Rhea made the most essential personnel decisions the past two weeks while constructing the roster, which sits at 19 players — one over the league limit of 18 allowed at training camp.

That means Seattle must clear a spot when Fam reports.

By virtue of being a lottery pick, she’s one of eight players (Magbegor, Hiedeman, Dolson, Melbourne, Samuelson, Horston and Lexie Brown) with a guaranteed contract, which almost assures they’ll remain with the team barring a trade or buyout.

Malonga, Johnson and Mair are also shoo-ins, which conceivably leaves one open spot on the active roster.

Under the new CBA, teams can carry 12 players in addition to two developmental players who do not count against the salary cap.

Michigan State forward Grace VanSlooten, whom the Storm selected in the third round of the 2026 draft, is likely on the bubble.

Seattle also re-signed Zia Cooke and MacKenzie Holmes, and added former Washington Huskies standout Elle Ladine, as well as Jalyn Brown, Jaelyn Brown, Rennia Davis and Beatrice Mompremier on non-guaranteed training camp contracts.

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