WNBA: With Nneka Ogwumike on board, are the Storm playoff-ready?

There are 4 WNBA groups that appear to be getting essentially the most consideration as title contenders, but, based mostly on document, there are 5 which are in a separate class from the league’s backside seven groups.

I, for one, am most afraid of the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces, winners of eight of their final 9. Their most spectacular win throughout that stretch got here on Sunday once they defeated the third-place Connecticut Solar by greater than the ultimate margin of 13 factors signifies. A’ja Wilson handled an ecstatic residence crowd at Michelob ULTRA to her 1,000th (1’000th) level of the season (a WNBA first) and delivered an emotional speech within the locker room afterward:

The vibes surrounding the Aces couldn’t be higher proper now, and we all know they’ve the chemistry and intimidation issue wanted to three-peat.

Then, there’s in fact the opposite staff that was dubbed a “tremendous staff” coming into 2023: the New York Liberty. The Liberty confronted Vegas within the Finals final 12 months and have averted the periodic struggles which have put the Aces in fourth place this season. They’re the very best staff within the league at 32-7, two video games forward of the Minnesota Lynx, and boast a star-studded roster that includes Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, Courtney Vandersloot and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton.

In the meantime, the Lynx are Rebecca Lobo’s favourite to win all of it. Napheesa Collier has taken one other step ahead this season, changing into the second-best participant within the league (after Wilson), and her Lynx are even hotter than the Aces, successful 14 of their final 15 video games.

The final of the 4 groups with heightened consideration is the Solar. They acquired off to the very best begin of any staff this season, successful their first 9 video games. It’s laborious to rely them out when Alyssa Thomas could make such a huge impact on a recreation. She is traditionally a tremendous playoff performer, who has taken the Solar to the Finals twice. With the addition of Marina Mabrey, and a strong improve in scoring from each DiJonai Carrington and Tyasha Harris to enhance the “Large 3” of Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones, this actually might be Connecticut’s 12 months.

As I discussed, the Aces are the scariest staff in my thoughts, and I wouldn’t essentially argue towards the Liberty, Lynx and Solar being the following three scariest in some order. However the hype surrounding these 4 groups has left me questioning: How do head coach Noelle Quinn and the fifth-place Seattle Storm’s star trio of Jewell Loyd, Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith really feel about all this?

Stewart left Seattle for New York after the 2022 season. Any staff that surrounds her with expertise goes to have a shot on the title, which is what she gave the Storm in 2018 and 2020 (years they gained all of it), in addition to in 2022, a 12 months during which they misplaced a heavyweight semifinal showdown to the eventual champion Aces. Stewart missed all of 2019 with a torn Achilles, and missed the playoffs in 2021 with a foot harm.

Picture by Ned Dishman/NBAE by way of Getty Photos

Stewart was arguably essentially the most coveted free agent in WNBA historical past in 2023, and her resolution to depart Seattle, coupled with Sue Chook’s retirement, left the Storm with low expectations that season. They completed 11-29, however Loyd, the remaining famous person who had been an enormous a part of the 2018 and 2020 championships, registered the then-second-best scoring common of all time (24.7 factors per recreation) and completed seventh in MVP voting, proving that she might certainly be the “Batman” with Stewart gone.

Loyd was ranked seventh in Swish Attraction’s WNBA Hoopers Hierarchy on June 3. What’s spectacular and notable is that Seattle added No. 9 (Ogwumike) and No. 11 (Diggins-Smith) in 2024 free company, resulting in a 2024 season during which they’re not second-to-last, however reasonably 24-15 and a snug 4 video games forward of the sixth-place Indiana Fever.

Ogwumike’s and Diggins-Smith’s resumes converse for themselves. Within the season during which she turned 26, Ogwumike was the regular-season MVP en path to the 2016 WNBA championship. She would go on to complete fourth in MVP voting in each 2017 and 2019. After a few down years in 2020 and 2021—and an Olympic roster snub that had the ladies’s basketball neighborhood up in arms—she has roared again with a vengeance, making the final three All-Star Video games and ending sixth in MVP voting final 12 months. Clearly, she continues to be top-of-the-line gamers within the recreation, averaging 16.7 factors and seven.6 rebounds this season—good for second on the Storm in each classes. She can be second on the staff in minutes per recreation (32.1), behind solely Loyd, and is first in 3-point proportion (39.4) and steals per recreation (1.9). That is the fourth-most correct 3-point season of her profession and most prolific with 0.8 makes per contest. She shot an unimaginable 61.5 p.c in her MVP season, albeit with solely 16 makes. Now, she’s making practically one a recreation.

Diggins-Smith, alternatively, missed final season on maternity go away and, like Ogwumike, has lived as much as her free company hype. The final time we noticed the now-33-year-old was in 2022 when she starred for the Phoenix Mercury, averaged 19.7 factors per recreation and completed sixth in MVP voting. This 12 months, her help common has gone as much as 6.4 per recreation, not solely above her 2022 mark, but additionally above any season common in her profession. Likewise, she is averaging a career-best 1.7 steals per outing. Her 3-point effectivity has been low (28.2 p.c), however she’s averaging a strong 15.2 factors per recreation. That’s the third-lowest mark of her profession, however is comprehensible given the scoring that surrounds her in Loyd and Ogwumike.

Loyd has been out with a knee harm, however the Storm hope to have her again for the playoffs. Her shockingly low 3-point proportion (27.4 in comparison with her profession clip of 34.8) is a priority, however each she and Diggins-Smith have the chance to wash that up within the playoffs. Each are succesful. Loyd is sixth within the league with 19.7 factors per recreation and 14th with 3.6 assists per recreation, solidifying the trio of her, Ogwumike and Diggins-Smith as a deadly “Large 3.”

Seattle gained’t get by on the lofty title recognition of these three stars, however each Loyd and Ogwumike know what it takes to win a championship. To that time, Loyd is among the greatest clutch performers within the WNBA and Ogwumike has been hailed by many as top-of-the-line leaders. So … is a Storm championship this season actually out of the query?

With so many different tremendous groups on the market, it’ll take nice depth. That being stated, I like Seattle’s nine-player rotation. Ezi Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, offers the staff a fourth star; the 6-foot-4 beginning middle is averaging 11.7 factors and eight rebounds per contest. She’s additionally one among solely two gamers with greater than 15 video games performed and greater than 1.6 blocks per recreation. Her 2.2 rejections per outing falls behind solely Wilson (2.6).

Picture by Scott Eklund/NBAE by way of Getty Photos

Then there’s Gabby Williams, who practically led an upset win over the most-talented roster on the earth when she and the French nationwide staff fell to america by a toe on the road (hers) within the gold medal recreation on the 2024 Paris Olympics. Williams recorded 19 factors and 7 boards in that contest, main France in each classes, whereas ending behind solely Wilson (21) in factors and behind solely Wilson (13) and Collier (11) in rebounds. Since coming into WNBA motion after the Olympic break, Williams is averaging a career-best 10.4 factors per recreation. She’s additionally chipping in a strong 3.5 assists and a career-best 1.7 steals. Her athleticism and the braveness she displayed in Paris are welcome in Seattle, the place she performed in 2022 and 2023. She might be an enormous X-factor within the playoffs.

On the bench, the Storm have Jordan Horston, Sami Whitcomb, Mercedes Russell and Victoria Vivians. Horston is placing up comparable numbers to what she produced throughout her strong 2023 rookie season. She additionally brings athleticism. Whitcomb and Russell are acquainted Storm vets who had been each a part of the 2018 and 2020 championship groups. A 3-point specialist and 6-foot-6 middle, respectively, they’re each strong gamers, with Whitcomb having made a powerful case for an All-Star nod in 2021 whereas a member of the Liberty in between Storm stints. Vivians rounds out the rotation and is one other strong participant, having averaged 9.8 factors in 2022 with the Fever. No weak spots in that rotation.

As a staff, Seattle has the bottom 3-point proportion within the league. A 2-for-9 effort in what was probably a first-round preview towards the Aces Tuesday night time led to their demise as Vegas countered with a 9-for-20 exhibiting. Even Whitcomb (36.1 p.c for her profession) is capturing a career-low 28.9 p.c. Nevertheless, the Storm lead the league in steals and blocks per recreation, in addition to free throw proportion.

They confirmed a whole lot of struggle Tuesday night time with out Loyd and Magbegor (concussion protocol) of their remaining shot at retaining homecourt benefit a chance within the first spherical. They got here again from an 18-point deficit to take a one-point lead early within the fourth earlier than the Aces closed it out just like the champions they’re.

The Aces had been taking part in their hardest as a result of they nonetheless have a shot on the No. 3 seed, which might imply avoiding a legit contender in Seattle within the first spherical.

Wilson (Aces), Stewart (Liberty), Collier (Lynx) and Thomas (Solar) comprise the highest tier of WNBA gamers; there’s a drop off to a second tier in terms of the very best gamers within the WNBA. Followers and analysts alike in all probability are sensing that any a type of 4 gamers can put their staff on their again and lead it to a championship, which is partly why these 4 groups are the talked about title favorites.

However for those who’re the Storm, you need to have a chip in your shoulder, saying, “Don’t sleep on us.”