Storm Sets Roster for 2026 Season Opener
Published on May 7, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Seattle Storm News Release
SEATTLE - The Seattle Storm finalized its 2026 roster ahead of Friday's season opener against the Golden State Valkyries at Climate Pledge Arena, featuring a talented young core that blends emerging stars with returning experience.
Six players return from last year's roster, including Lexie Brown, Zia Cooke, Mackenzie Holmes, Ezi Magbegor, Dominique Malonga and Katie Lou Samuelson. Brown, Cooke and Holmes are back for their second season in Seattle, while Samuelson returns for her second year with the franchise after missing the 2025 season due to an injury. Malonga enters her sophomore season following a historic rookie campaign in which she became the youngest player to ever record a double-double. Magbegor, a four-time WNBA All-Defensive selection, embarks on her seventh season with the Storm. They are joined by Jordan Horston, who rejoins the lineup after missing last season due to an injury following her first two years in Seattle.
The Storm added three veteran players during the offseason, including Stefanie Dolson, Natisha Hiedeman and Jade Melbourne. Dolson, a 2021 WNBA champion, enters her 13th year in the WNBA and joins the Storm following two seasons with the Washington Mystics, where in 2024, she shot a career-high 46.5% from beyond the arc. Seven-year veteran Hiedeman signed with Seattle after a two-season stint with the Minnesota Lynx, where she notched a career-high 49.2% shooting from the field in 2025. Melbourne, who was originally drafted by Seattle in 2022, returns to the Emerald City after spending two seasons with the Washington Mystics. The 2024 Olympic bronze medalist for Australia averaged a career-high 5.9 points per game in 2025.
At this year's WNBA draft, the Storm added a wave of young new talent. Seattle selected 6-foot-4 center Awa Fam with the No. 3 overall pick and acquired No. 8 overall pick Flau'jae Johnson via trade. Seattle also added guard Taina Mair at No. 14 and forward Grace VanSlooten at No. 39.
For more information or to purchase tickets for the upcoming season, visit http://storm.wnba.com or call (206)-217-WNBA (9622).
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