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#ShrinkTheGame: 13 Days of WNBA
Day 12 and Day 13: Seattle Storm and the Washington Mystics
Fred S
May 16, 2025
With just 13 days remaining until the official start of the WNBA season, I’ll be counting down with a daily mini preview of each of the league’s 13 teams. Stay tuned as we break down what to watch, who to watch, and what to expect from every squad.
Table of Contents
Final Rosters and Opening Day
All rosters are officially set! We saw a lot of players get waived yesterday, but remember: everyone’s journey to the WNBA is different, and it wasn’t just rookies getting cut. With a hard salary cap and a 12-player roster limit, the WNBA remains the toughest league in the world to break into. Players who were waived might bounce around teams, return on hardship contracts when injuries happen, fill in on teams with players who will leave in June for the Euroleague, get picked up later in the season, head overseas, or even pivot to a new career path.
Hopefully, the next CBA brings some real change, like a higher salary cap, a soft cap system, and expanded rosters (I’m thinking 14 or 15, like the NBA).
You can find the opening day schedule and where to watch games HERE
2025 @WNBA Opening Day Rosters 🧵
First up, the @AtlantaDream has finalized their roster #WNBATwitter
— Terrika (@SheKnowsSports)
2:15 PM • May 15, 2025
After The Storm
The Storm had a tumultuous end-of-season/offseason, where tempers were boiling and the whole league watched as things turned into Jewel Lloyd vs. Skylar Diggins, Nneka, and the coaching staff. Ultimately, as we all know by now, Jewel was traded to the Las Vegas Aces, officially ending the Sue Bird/Breanna Stewart/Jewel Lloyd era in Seattle.
This season is a fresh start for the Storm, and they’re heading in with much better momentum. They brought back their core of Skylar, Nneka, Ezi, and Gabby Williams. For the first time, Gabby won’t be arriving late to training camp—she’ll be practicing and preparing with the team from the jump, which should do wonders for their chemistry. With the No. 2 pick in the draft, Seattle added another French standout, Dominique Malonga, to strengthen their already stacked frontcourt rotation. Ezi is coming off a strong overseas season, where she became a EuroLeague champion with USK Prague. This is one of the best starting lineups in the league—the real questions lie with the bench.
Notable losses for the Storm include Sami Whitcomb signing with Phoenix and Katie Lou Samuelson. Katie Lou came off a strong Unrivaled performance and was bought out by the Fever, but unfortunately, tore her ACL during training camp. The bright side for Katie Lou is she’ll still be paid her full salary; the not-so-bright side for the Storm is that her contract still counts against the cap, meaning they can only afford to carry 11 players.
On the signing side, the Storm brought back 3x champ and longtime fan favorite Alysha Clark, who spent last season with the Aces. They also signed Zia Cooke and traded for Lexie Brown to add some perimeter shooting. We’ll see how that goes…
I expect this team to make it back to the semi-finals for sure. Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga both have announced that they won’t be leaving in June to play in EuroBasket for France. This is HUGE. They both cited commitment to the Storm as a reason for not leaving in June. The continuity will certainly be helpful. For example, the Liberty will have 3 players leaving in June, which might result in more games lost.
What to Look Out For:
Dominique Malonga is a French phenom, just 19 years old and already an Olympic silver medalist. Watching her grow in the league is going to be fun. The only real comparison I can think of is how Cam Brink started her rookie season: a defensive monster and shot-blocking machine. The difference is that Dominique already has extensive pro experience. And I cannot stress enough how impressive her dunking is. Yes, most of the taller players in the WNBA can dunk—and some, like BG, do it in games—but Dominique dunks like a man. She’s slamming that shit in-game with ease, barely even jumping. I cannot wait for her to dunk on somebody. Sis even said she has a list of people she wants to poster. LOL Plz don’t let it be JJ.
Gabby Williams is an extremely talented player—we’ve seen it time and again with her performances for the French National Team and while hooping overseas. But honestly, she hasn’t consistently shown that same level of dominance in the W. I think a big part of that is timing; she usually joins late due to overseas commitments, which means less rest and less time to fully integrate with the team. And let’s be real: role players often look like Michael Jordan when playing for their national squads. So this season, with a full camp under her belt, we’ll see if MJ (pun intended—she is dating Marine Johannes) shows up for real.
Question Marks
Who’s first on Dominique’s dunk list?
Is this finally a championship-level squad?
Can Skylar make it through the season without any drama?
Is Li Yeru about to have her breakout season?
Will Lexie Brown stop acting like a pick-me, or…?
Official Roster
The Coaches + Front Office: Seattle
Noelle Quinn brings a wealth of experience to her role as head coach of the Seattle Storm. A former WNBA player with a 12-year career across multiple teams—including the Storm, with whom she won a championship in 2018—Quinn made a seamless transition from the court to the sidelines. She joined Seattle’s coaching staff in 2019 and was promoted to head coach in 2021. Known for her basketball IQ and leadership, Quinn has been instrumental in developing young talent and guiding the team through a rebuilding phase while maintaining a strong, competitive culture.
Pokey Chatman joined the Seattle Storm in 2022 and currently serves as both an assistant coach and the Associate General Manager. In these dual roles, she plays a central part in shaping the team’s on-court strategy and long-term roster development. With decades of experience, including head coaching stints with the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, and a storied college coaching career at LSU, Chatman brings seasoned leadership and a sharp basketball mind to the Storm as they navigate a new era. Her presence has been instrumental in guiding the team through a rebuild while laying the foundation for future success.
Ebony Hoffman is a former WNBA standout and seasoned coach who brings deep knowledge and energy to the sidelines. Drafted ninth overall in 2004 by the Indiana Fever, Hoffman enjoyed a decade-long playing career, earning the WNBA’s Most Improved Player award in 2008 and competing internationally during the offseasons. After retiring, she transitioned into coaching and player development, and in 2022, she joined the Seattle Storm as an assistant coach. Known for her passion, toughness, and ability to connect with players, Hoffman continues to be a valuable presence in the WNBA coaching ranks.
Thompson joined the Seattle Storm in 2025 as an assistant coach. Most recently, Thompson served as an assistant coach for the Stockton Kings, where he led the top offense in the league during the 2023-2024 season. Prior to his role in the NBA G League, Thompson was on the coaching staff for the Mexican Women’s National Team, assuming the role as associate head coach in 2022 and was later promoted to head coach.
Knox joins the Storm as a player development coach following a three-year stint with the Phoenix Mercury. There, he was an assistant coach and head of player development, helping the team improve in field goal, three-point and free-throw percentages. Knox has a long history of working with professional and collegiate athletes, and has helped prepare them for the Olympics, NBA, WNBA and more.
Hoops & Hype: Media Picks
Check out some of the cool podcasts, videos, reads, and fashion I saw this week.
@seattlestorm BANG 💥 @Dominique Malonga #WNBA #womenssports #dunk
@seattlestorm A peek behind the scenes of media day 👀 #wnba #womenssports #seattle
Booked & Busy: WBB Reads 👓
Drip Report 💧
Mystics
The Mystics are officially in year two of their rebuild, and while they finished last in the standings last season, this year’s rookie class, paired with a few key veterans, makes them a lot more fun to watch. I don’t see them winning a ton of games, but they’ll definitely be competitive.
Washington made several moves this offseason to build for the future, including trading Ariel Atkins to Chicago for the No. 3 pick in the draft. That deal gave them three first-round picks, which they used to select Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, and Georgia Amoore. Unfortunately, Georgia tore her ACL during training camp and will be out for the entire season. Like Katie Lou, she’ll receive her full salary but still count against the cap. Despite that loss, the rookies look promising—Sonia and Kiki both had strong showings in preseason, and I think Sonia will end up in the starting lineup permanently.
Returning vets Stef Dolson, Brittney Sykes (Slim), and Shakira Austin will provide valuable guidance and leadership for the rookies while continuing to contribute on the court. Last season, Stef led the league in three-point percentage, and I expect her to do it again. Slim also showed significant growth during Unrivaled. We’ve been waiting on a Shakira Austin breakout year for years now; it’s not for lack of effort or talent, but injuries have held her back the past 2-3 seasons. She showed promise in Unrivaled but missed preseason and won’t play in tonight’s opener due to a leg injury. Shakira has so much to offer; all she needs is a healthy season.
What to Look Out For:
Aaliyah Edwards had a breakout performance in Unrivaled’s 1-on-1 tournament, putting everyone on notice! Personally, I fell in love with her game watching Unrivaled, and I think if she can stay healthy, she’ll prove to be the Mystics’ next superstar.
Sonia Citron impressed both fans and coaches with her preseason performance—you can just see the raw talent waiting to be developed. I think she’ll become a mainstay in the starting lineup and is a sleeper pick for Rookie of the Year.
Question Marks
Will Shakira finally have a healthy, breakout season?
Can the Mystics win more games than last year?
Is Sonia Citron the sleeper Rookie of the Year waiting to surprise us all?
Final Roster
The Coaches + Front Office
Johnson brings 25 years of basketball experience to the Mystics, recently coaching Team USA’s 3x3 Women’s AmeriCup team to silver and leading the USA 3x3 U23 Men’s World Cup Team to gold. He spent 2024 as an assistant coach with the Chicago Sky and previously led Fairfield University to its most postseason appearances. Johnson also earned Ivy League Coach of the Year honors at Princeton, where he was a three-time team captain. Off the court, he’s Vice President of Client Success at HD Intelligence, providing analytics to Team USA and top college programs. Focused on the Mystics’ core values, Johnson aims to guide the team to another WNBA Championship.
Turner joins the Mystics after spending the 2024-25 season with the South Bay Lakers, the NBA G League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers. Prior to that, she spent three seasons as an assistant coach for the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream. Turner has also worked as a player development coach with the NBA’s Houston Rockets (2021-22) and the Washington Wizards’ G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go (2022-23). Turner brings 15 years of WNBA and international playing experience to Washington. Following an impressive collegiate career at the University of Connecticut, where she won consecutive National Championships (2003-2004), Turner was selected 11th overall in the 2006 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm. Turner also played for the Connecticut Sun and the Houston Comets. Additionally, Turner had stints in Turkey (2006-21) and Israel (2006).
Vatansever comes to Washington as an offensive strategist, most recently serving as interim head coach and general manager of the Chicago Sky at the end of the 2023 season, leading the team to their fifth-straight postseason appearance. Prior to being named interim head coach, he spent five and a half seasons (2018-2023) as an assistant and player development coach for the Sky, having played an integral role in helping Chicago win their first WNBA Championship in 2021. Vatansever’s WNBA coaching career began with the Seattle Storm, where he served as an assistant coach and advanced scout from 2015-2017. During this time, he helped develop two number-one draft picks in Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd. The Turkish native also brings international coaching experience to the Mystics, having served as associate head coach of Yakın Doğu Üniversitesi (2016-2018) and the Turkish national team (2016-2018), with the latter participating in the 2017 FIBA EuroBasket and 2018 FIBA World Cup.
Miller brings a defensive mindset to Johnson’s staff, most recently serving as an assistant and player development coach for the Indiana Fever (2023-2024), where she led the player development efforts for guards, including 2024 number one overall pick, Caitlin Clark. She also served as a player development coach for the Fever from 2017-2019. Miller began her WNBA coaching career with the Chicago Sky (2007-2017), working in various roles, including basketball operations assistant (2007-2015) and head video coordinator (2015-2017). Miller also brings valuable international and head coaching experience to the Mystics, having served as head coach of BBC Coburg men’s team (2021-2022) and DJK Brose Bamberg women’s team (2017-2018) in Germany.
Crouch joins the Mystics with more than 20 years of basketball experience, having coached at every level, from high school all the way to the WNBA. He served as an assistant coach for Georgetown’s men’s basketball team (2019-23), where he helped secure a Top 5 Recruiting Class and assisted in bringing the program’s first McDonald’s All-American since 2014. Crouch returns to Washington, where he began his WNBA career with the team in 2010. He was instrumental in helping Monique Currie, Lindsay Harding, and Crystal Langhorne earn All-Star recognition that season. That same year, the Mystics secured a playoff berth as the top seed in the WNBA, for the first time in franchise history. In addition, Crouch has had stints at various academies, specializing in skill development.
Hoops & Hype: Media Picks
Check out some of the cool podcasts, videos, reads, and fashion I saw this week.
@washmystics Still up? Here’s a lil teaser from content day 👀
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