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WNBA Seattle Storm

Storm Return to Action on the Road After Olympic Break

August 19, 2024 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Seattle Storm News Release


After a WNBA record nine-game homestand and a month-long break for the Olympics, the Seattle Storm will be back in action this week.

The Storm's nine straight home games before the Olympic break made up nearly half of Seattle's home games this season (nine of 20), with only six more home matchups remaining at Climate Pledge Arena.

The Storm (17-8) heads on a three-game road trip to open the second half of 2024 action, taking on three Eastern Conference teams in five days. Seattle sits at No. 4 in the league rankings and tied for first in the Western Conference with Minnesota (17-8).

Seattle will play the Atlanta Dream (7-17) on Friday, August 16 at 4:30 p.m. Pacific time (Ion).

The Storm then heads to Indiana for a matinee game with the Fever on Sunday, August 18 at 12:30 p.m. Pacific time (ABC). Seattle will round out the three game road trip with the first of a home-and-home with the Washington Mystics on Tuesday, August 20.

Five of Seattle's six remaining home games are against teams lower in league rankings, with the outlier being a matchup with New York on August 30, the only time the Liberty travel to Seattle this season.

OLYMPICS ACTION

All three Storm players returned to Seattle with Olympic medals, led by Jewell Loyd earning gold with Team USA. This was Loyd's second gold medal with the United States (6-0), helping the team earn its eighth straight gold by the narrowest of margins with a 67-66 victory over host France.

The gold medal game marked the 61st straight victory for the U.S., with France becoming just the third team to come within single digits of the Americans.

Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb represented the Storm with Team Australia (4-2) as they led their team to a bronze medal - its first Olympic medal since London 2012 - with an 85-81 win over Belgium in the third-place matchup.

2024 marked Magbegor's second time representing Australia and Whitcomb's first.

Magbegor powered her team to a spot on the podium with a career-best 30 points in the bronze medal game (12-of-17 shooting), 13 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. Whitcomb added 14 points on the game.

Whitcomb led the Aussies in scoring and assists, averaging 13.0 points per game in her first Olympic appearance, including 70.8 percent from the field. She added 5.3 assists per game and 3.5 rebounds across six games for the Australians.

Second in scoring behind her Storm teammate, Magbegor averaged 11.5 points throughout the tournament supplemented by 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

Magbegor and Whitcomb played along former Seattle Storm legend Lauren Jackson, who made her return to the Olympics after 12 years away, becoming the first Australian to win five medals across five Olympic Games.

Storm head coach Noelle Quinn served as an assistant for Team Canada during this year's game. Her team's playing schedule ended quicker than expected, with Canada finishing 0-3 in tournament action. Quinn's team fell 79-70 to Nigeria to eliminate the Canadians from advancing to the quarterfinal.

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