31
Mar
Team Profile
Seattle Storm: Five things you need to know
Seattle Storm's dynasty of four WNBA championships across two decades
- Four WNBA Championships (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020)
- Undefeated in WNBA Finals appearances (4-0)
- Home to WNBA legends Sue Bird, Australian Lauren Jackson, and Breanna Stewart
- Latest News: Read more about Aussies in the WNBA
The Seattle Storm remain the benchmark for sustained success in the WNBA, now entering a new era anchored by Australian Opals star Ezi Magbegor under the league’s new CBA landscape.
- Conference: Western
- League: WNBA
- Founded: 2000
- History: Seattle Storm (2000–present)
- Arena: Climate Pledge Arena
- Location: Seattle, Washington
- Team colours: Thunder green, lightning yellow, bolt green
- Major sponsor: Swedish Health Services
- General manager: Talisa Rhea
- Head coach: Sonia Raman
- Assistant coaches: Pokey Chatman, Ebony Hoffman
- 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: 1 – 2021
- Retired numbers: #10 Sue Bird, #15 Lauren Jackson
Seattle is one of the WNBA’s gold-standard organisations – four championships, a perfect Finals record (4–0), and a reputation built on elite talent, continuity and culture.
From Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird to Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd, the Storm have consistently reloaded rather than rebuilt.
Now, the franchise enters its next phase with Ezi Magbegor as its defensive anchor and highest-paid Australian star.
Australian Connection
Seattle has one of the deepest Australian histories in the WNBA:
Lauren Jackson
- No. 1 pick (2001)
- 3× MVP
- 2× champion (2004, 2010)
- Hall of Fame career that defined the franchise
Ezi Magbegor (2020–present)
- 2020 champion
- Co-WNBA Defensive Player of the Year
- Signed 3-year, USD $3.75M (AUD ~$5.2M) deal in 2026
- Equal highest-paid Australian in the WNBA
- Key role player in 2018 and 2020 championships
- Elite three-point shooting and bench impact
Tully Bevilaqua, Suzy Batkovic, Abby Bishop, Jenna O’Hea
- Depth, versatility and championship-era contributions across multiple seasons
- Drafted in 2022, played rookie season in 2023 before moving to Washington. Melbourne has re-signed with the Storm for the 2026 WNBA season.
Ezi Magbegor – New CBA Era
Magbegor’s deal signals a shift in both Seattle’s roster and the league’s economics.
- Contract: 3 years / USD $3.75M
- Average: ~$1.25M per season
- 2025 → 2026 jump: $186K → $1.25M (+572%)
- First 7 seasons: ~$689K total
- Next 3 seasons: $3.75M
She will earn 5.4× more in three years than her first seven seasons combined.
This is the new WNBA economy – and Seattle has invested in its cornerstone.
Team History
Seattle’s success is built on elite eras:
- 2004: First championship (Jackson–Bird core)
- 2010: Second title, dominant playoff run
- 2018 & 2020: Stewart–Bird–Loyd era delivers two more championships
The Storm are the only franchise to win titles across three decades while maintaining a perfect Finals record.
2026 Identity
Post-Sue Bird, Seattle’s identity is shifting:
- Magbegor = defensive anchor + interior presence
- Perimeter core = shot creation + spacing
- System = continuity, culture, adaptability
Unlike rebuild teams, Seattle remains a retooling contender.
Five Fast Facts
- Four-time WNBA champions with a perfect 4–0 Finals record
- Lauren Jackson is one of the greatest players in league history
- Ezi Magbegor is now a $1M+ per season cornerstone
- Seattle has won titles in three different decades
- One of the most stable and successful organisations in women’s sport
What It Means
Seattle doesn’t rebuild.
It reloads.
And with Ezi Magbegor now paid like a franchise cornerstone, the next Storm era has already started – with an Australian at its centre.
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