# 2023 Seattle Storm season

The 2023 Seattle Storm season was the franchise's 24th season in the Women's National Basketball Association, and the second full season under head coach Noelle Quinn. Quinn took over in May of the 2021 season.
Seattle started the season slowly, losing all three of their games in May and their first game in June. They would go on to win three more games in June, but would lose seven more to finish the month with a 4–8 record. The team lost their first eight games in July, and combined with two losses to end June, the Storm were on a ten game losing streak. However, they ended the streak with two wins to end July with a 2–8 record. Their reversal of fortunes continued into August as they won three of their first five games in the month. However, they could not continue the momentum and finished the month losing four of six games. They finished August with a 5–6 overall record. The Storm finished the season on a four game losing streak, losing all four of their games in September. Their seven-year playoff streak was ended on August 27 with a loss to the Chicago Sky. A disappointing season was perhaps expected after the off-season departures of Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird. The team's eleven wins was their lowest total since 2015 and their .275 winning percentage was their lowest since their inaugural season in 2000. Their 29 losses this season was the lowest in franchise history, but it was also the first season of the WNBA's 40 game schedule.

## Transactions
### WNBA draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Team/Country |
| 1 | 9 | Jordan Horston | United States | Tennessee |
| 2 | 18 | Madi Williams | United States | Oklahoma |
| 2 | 21 | Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu | Cameroon | South Florida |
| 3 | 33 | Jade Loville | United States | Arizona |

### Transactions

| Date | Transaction |
| January 12, 2023 | Extended Qualifying Offers to Gabby Williams and Ezi Magbegor |
| February 3, 2023 | Signed Kia Nurse to a 2-Year Deal |
| February 3, 2023 | Signed Sami Whitcomb |
| February 4, 2023 | Signed Ezi Magbegor to a 2-Year Deal |
| February 6, 2023 | Signed Arella Guirantes, Kaila Charles, and Yvonne Turner to Training Camp Contracts |
| February 8, 2023 | Signed Theresa Plaisance to a 1-Year Deal |
| February 20, 2023 | Signed Jade Melbourne to a Rookie Scale Contract |
| February 22, 2023 | Signed Ivana Dojkić |
| February 24, 2023 | Signed Jasmine Walker |
| April 14, 2023 | Signed Jordan Horston, Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, and Jade Loville to Rookie Scale Contracts |
| April 17, 2023 | Signed Madi Williams to a Rookie Scale Contract |
| May 9, 2023 | Waived Jade Loville |
| May 12, 2023 | Waived Madi Williams |
| May 16, 2023 | Waived Jasmine Walker |
| May 18, 2023 | Waived Theresa Plaisance |
| June 9, 2023 | Waived Kaila Charles |
| June 9, 2023 | Signed Joyner Holmes |
| June 29, 2023 | Waived Arella Guirantes |
| July 3, 2023 | Signed Gabby Williams |
| August 10, 2023 | Waived Ivana Dojkić |
| September 9, 2023 | Signed Jewell Loyd to a Contract Extension |
| September 25, 2023 | Signed Head Coach Noelle Quinn to a Extension |
| September 25, 2023 | Assistant Coach Pokey Chatman elevated to Assistant General Manager |

### Roster Changes
## Roster
### Depth

| Pos. | Starter | Bench |
| PG | Sami Whitcomb | Jade Melbourne Yvonne Turner |
| SG | Jewell Loyd | Kia Nurse |
| SF | Jordan Horston | Gabby Williams |
| PF | Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu | Joyner Holmes |
| C | Ezi Magbegor | Mercedes Russell |

## Schedule
### Preseason

2023 pre-season game log Total: 0–1 (Home: 0–1; Road: 0–0) :
May: 0–1 (Home: 0–1; Road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 8
Phoenix
71–77
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (10)
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (9)
Jade Melbourne (3)
Climate Pledge Arena 5,119
0–1 :
2023 pre-season schedule :

### Regular Season

2023 game log Total: 11–29 (Home: 4–16; Road: 7–13) :
May: 0–3 (Home: 0–3; Road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 20
Las Vegas
L 64–105
Jewell Loyd (22)
Mercedes Russell (9)
Jewell Loyd (4)
Climate Pledge Arena 11,229
0–1
2
May 26
Dallas
L 91–95
Jewell Loyd (30)
Ezi Magbegor (12)
Loyd Whitcomb (3)
Climate Pledge Arena 8,277
0–2
3
May 30
New York
W 86–78
Jewell Loyd (26)
Ezi Magbegor (14)
Mercedes Russell (4)
Climate Pledge Arena 8,340
0–3 :
June
: 4–8 (Home: 2–5; Road: 2–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
4
June 3
@ Los Angeles
L 85–92
Jewell Loyd (37)
Ezi Magbegor (8)
Jewell Loyd (6)
Crypto.com Arena 6,866
0–4
5
June 6
Los Angeles
W 66–63
Jewell Loyd (25)
Ezi Magbegor (10)
Loyd Magbegor (3)
Climate Pledge Arena 7,840
1–4
6
June 9
Washington
L 66–73
Ezi Magbegor (24)
Jordan Horston (9)
Jade Melbourne (5)
Climate Pledge Arena 8,397
1–5
7
June 11
Washington
L 71–65
Jewell Loyd (16)
Ezi Magbegor (7)
Jewell Loyd (5)
Climate Pledge Arena 13,213
1–6
8
June 13
@ Phoenix
W 83–69
Sami Whitcomb (18)
Jordan Horston (14)
Dojkić Loyd (4)
Footprint Center 7,044
2–6
9
June 15
@ Las Vegas
L 63–96
Ezi Magbegor (23)
Ezi Magbegor (11)
Ivana Dojkić (3)
Michelob Ultra Arena 8,518
2–7
10
June 17
@ Dallas
W 109–103
Jewell Loyd (39)
Mercedes Russell (10)
Ivana Dojkić (7)
College Park Center 5,020
3–7
11
June 20
Connecticut
L 79–85
Jewell Loyd (33)
Jordan Horston (13)
Kia Nurse (5)
Climate Pledge Arena 7,022
3–8
12
June 22
Indiana
L 68–80
Jewell Loyd (19)
Mercedes Russell (8)
Ivana Dojkić (6)
Climate Pledge Arena 7,734
3–9
13
June 24
Phoenix
W 97–74
Jewell Loyd (24)
Jewell Loyd (7)
Kia Nurse (4)
Climate Pledge Arena 9,122
4–9
14
June 27
@ Minnesota
L 93–104
Magbegor Whitcomb (20)
Jewell Loyd (9)
Ivana Dojkić (9)
Target Center 7,014
4–10
15
June 29
Minnesota
L 97–99 (OT)
Jewell Loyd (41)
Ezi Magbegor (16)
Ivana Dojkić (10)
Climate Pledge Arena 6,894
4–11 :
July
: 2–8 (Home: 0–2; Road: 2–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
16
July 2
New York
L 66–81
Jewell Loyd (27)
Ezi Magbegor (9)
Ezi Magbegor (4)
Climate Pledge Arena 9,110
4–12
17
July 6
@ Connecticut
L 73–93
Jewell Loyd (22)
Sami Whitcomb (9)
Nurse Whitcomb (4)
Mohegan Sun Arena 5,479
4–13
18
July 8
@ New York
L 76–80
Sami Whitcomb (19)
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (14)
Ezi Magbegor (6)
Barclays Center 6,789
4–14
19
July 11
@ Washington
L 86–93
Jewell Loyd (39)
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (11)
Loyd Melbourne Nurse (3)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 3,571
4–15
20
July 12
@ Atlanta
L 75–85
Jordan Horston (23)
Jordan Horston (10)
Jade Melbourne (5)
Gateway Center Arena 2,546
4–16
21
July 20
Las Vegas
L 63–79
Loyd Magbegor (12)
Ezi Magbegor (7)
Jewell Loyd (6)
Climate Pledge Arena 7,873
4–17
22
July 22
Chicago
L 75–90
Ezi Magbegor (14)
Holmes Loyd (4)
Jewell Loyd (3)
Climate Pledge Arena 8,655
4–18
23
July 25
@ New York
L 82–86
Jewell Loyd (32)
Ezi Magbegor (12)
Sami Whitcomb (6)
Barclays Center 6,118
4–19
24
July 28
@ Chicago
W 83–74
Magbegor Williams (17)
Sami Whitcomb (10)
Jewell Loyd (6)
Wintrust Arena 7,213
5–19
25
July 30
@ Indiana
W 85–62
Jewell Loyd (26)
Jordan Horston (6)
Jewell Loyd (8)
Gainbridge Fieldhouse 5,196
6–19 :
August
: 5–6 (Home: 2–3; Road: 3–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
26
August 2
Dallas
L 65–76
Jewell Loyd (31)
Ezi Magbegor (9)
Gabby Williams (5)
Climate Pledge Arena 7,421
6–20
27
August 5
@ Phoenix
W 97–91
Jewell Loyd (32)
Mercedes Russell (8)
Gabby Williams (6)
Footprint Center 9,411
7–20
28
August 8
Connecticut
L 69–81
Loyd Whitcomb (11)
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (12)
Sami Whitcomb (5)
Climate Pledge Arena 10,212
7–21
29
August 10
Atlanta
W 68–67
Jewell Loyd (19)
Ezi Magbegor (11)
Sami Whitcomb (5)
Climate Pledge Arena 7,649
8–21
30
August 13
Phoenix
W 81–71
Jewell Loyd (24)
Mercedes Russell (10)
Sami Whitcomb (8)
Climate Pledge Arena 10,107
9–21
31
August 18
Minnesota
L 70–78
Sami Whitcomb (23)
Ezi Magbegor (7)
Sami Whitcomb (3)
Climate Pledge Arena 8,865
9–22
32
August 20
@ Minnesota
W 88–74
Jewell Loyd (31)
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (15)
Loyd Magbegor (4)
Target Center 6,525
10–22
33
August 22
@ Chicago
L 79–102
Jewell Loyd (26)
Jordan Horston (11)
Loyd Magbegor (5)
Wintrust Arena 4,822
10–23
34
August 24
@ Indiana
L 86–90
Jewell Loyd (32)
Ezi Magbegor (13)
Sami Whitcomb (4)
Gainbridge Fieldhouse 2,644
10–24
35
August 27
Chicago
L 85–90
Loyd Whitcomb (19)
Ezi Magbegor (14)
Jewell Loyd (6)
Climate Pledge Arena 9,893
10–25
36
August 31
@ Los Angeles
W 72–61
Jewell Loyd (25)
Horston Magbegor (8)
Jewell Loyd (7)
Crypto.com Arena 6,101
11–25 :
September
: 0–3 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
37
September 2
@ Las Vegas
L 77–103
Jewell Loyd (28)
Jewell Loyd (10)
Horston Whitcomb (4)
Michelob Ultra Arena 9,319
11–26
38
September 6
@ Atlanta
L 68–79
Jewell Loyd (26)
Ezi Magbegor (8)
Ezi Magbegor (4)
Gateway Center Arena 2,731
11–27
39
September 8
@ Dallas
L 91–106
Jewell Loyd (33)
Ezi Magbegor (9)
Sami Whitcomb (8)
College Park Center 4,546
11–28
40
September 10
Los Angeles
L 89–91
Jewell Loyd (28)
Ezi Magbegor (8)
Ezi Magbegor (7)
Climate Pledge Arena 10,728
11–29 :
2023 season schedule :

## Standings

| # | Team vte | W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
| 1 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 34 | 6 | .850 | – | 18–2 | 19–1 | 15–5 | 9–1 |
| 2 | x – New York Liberty | 32 | 8 | .800 | 2 | 16–4 | 15–5 | 17–3 | 7–3 |
| 3 | x – Connecticut Sun | 27 | 13 | .675 | 7 | 14–6 | 13–7 | 14–6 | 7–3 |
| 4 | x – Dallas Wings | 22 | 18 | .550 | 12 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 6–4 |
| 5 | x – Atlanta Dream | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 8–12 | 6–4 |
| 6 | x – Minnesota Lynx | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 12–8 | 9–11 | 10–10 | 5–5 |
| 7 | x – Washington Mystics | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 9–11 | 12–8 | 7–13 | 5–5 |
| 8 | x – Chicago Sky | 18 | 22 | .450 | 16 | 5–15 | 7–13 | 11–9 | 3–7 |
| 9 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 17 | 23 | .425 | 17 | 9–11 | 10–10 | 7–13 | 5–5 |
| 10 | e – Indiana Fever | 13 | 27 | .325 | 21 | 5–15 | 6–14 | 7–13 | 2–8 |
| 11 | e – Seattle Storm | 11 | 29 | .275 | 23 | 8–12 | 4–16 | 7–13 | 4–6 |
| 12 | e – Phoenix Mercury | 9 | 31 | .225 | 25 | 2–18 | 8–12 | 1–19 | 1–9 |
Notes
    (#) – League Standing
    x – Clinched playoff berth
    e – Eliminated from postseason contention
    Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

## Statistics
### Regular Season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Jewell Loyd | 38 | 38 | 35.4 | .371 | .357 | .888 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 24.7 |
| Ezi Magbegor | 40 | 40 | 32.6 | .513 | .385 | .699 | 8.1 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 13.8 |
| Sami Whitcomb | 40 | 19 | 24.5 | .400 | .385 | .830 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 9.7 |
| Gabby Williams$^≠$ | 10 | 8 | 28.5 | .362 | .217 | .846 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 8.4 |
| Jordan Horston | 36 | 17 | 22.4 | .367 | .244 | .712 | 5.1 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 6.9 |
| Ivana Dojkić$^‡$ | 23 | 15 | 20.0 | .403 | .418 | .721 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 6.5 |
| Kia Nurse | 40 | 20 | 19.7 | .343 | .350 | .889 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 5.9 |
| Mercedes Russell | 37 | 13 | 19.1 | .516 | .000 | .605 | 4.0 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 5.0 |
| Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu | 33 | 21 | 14.2 | .523 | .000 | .550 | 4.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 4.1 |
| Joyner Holmes$^≠$ | 29 | 2 | 10.2 | .379 | .317 | .765 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 3.2 |
| Jade Melbourne | 29 | 0 | 10.6 | .391 | .150 | .793 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 2.6 |
| Yvonne Turner | 21 | 7 | 9.2 | .463 | .333 | .778 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 2.5 |
| Kaila Charles$^‡$ | 4 | 0 | 10.3 | .250 | .000 | .000 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| Arella Guirantes$^‡$ | 9 | 0 | 5.2 | .250 | .167 | .600 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 1.3 |
$^‡$Waived/Released during the season $^†$Traded during the season $^≠$Acquired during the season

## Awards and honors

| Recipient | Award | Date awarded |
| Jewell Loyd | Western Conference Player of the Week | June 20 |
| Jewell Loyd | WNBA All-Star Starter | June 25 |
| Jewell Loyd | All-Star Game MVP | July 16 |
| Jewell Loyd | Peak Performer: Points | September 11 |
| Jewell Loyd | All-WNBA Second Team | October 15 |
| Ezi Magbegor | WNBA All-Star | July 1 |
| Ezi Magbegor | All-Defensive Second Team | September 22 |
| Jordan Horston | WNBA All-Rookie Team | October 2 |