Before the 2026 WNBA season began, Edwin Garcia wondered if the Seattle Storm might regret their offseason decisions. Should the franchise have made re-signing veterans Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins and Gabby Williams a priority, rather than jumping into a rebuild?
In contrast, Zack Ward endorsed Seattle’s direction, citing them as big winners of the 2026 WNBA Draft. I expressed even more enthusiasm, boosting the Storm’s bright future.
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It’s possible that we were all right. The Storm’s core of young talent can (eventually) come together into team with true title aspirations.
But at the moment, Edwin’s assessment feels most correct, as Seattle has lost nine-straight games. At 3-13, two of the Storm’s wins have come over the Connecticut Sun, the only team below them in the standings. Offense, in particular, continues to be a struggle for Seattle.
On Saturday afternoon, they’ll be looking to avoid a franchise-record matching 10-game losing streak when they visit the Phoenix Mercury (3 p.m. ET, ABC).
The Mercury, however, might enter the matchup with an even more intense sense of disappointment.
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While Seattle intentionally pivoted into a new era, understanding that there would be some growing pains, Phoenix still styled themselves as top-of-the-league contenders. Although they watched Satou Sabally depart for the New York Liberty and subsequently failed to replace her with another star-level player, the retention of Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper, surrounded by a new supporting cast, signaled a belief that the team would follow up their trip to the 2025 WNBA Finals with strong season.
A rout of the defending-champion Las Vegas Aces on opening day appeared to affirm Phoenix’s approach. Yet, that victory has proven to be a desert mirage, as the Mercury have secured just three more wins since, and none of which against teams with a winning record. With a six-game skid already on their ledger, Phoenix will be aiming to avoid a fifth-straight loss on Saturday.
So, there’s not much sizzle surrounding Saturday’s second national TV showdown. (The first game, a second-straight meeting between the Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream, in contrast, has plenty of intrigue.)
A victory would inspire more relief than celebration for either side.
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After the Storm’s last loss, Natisha Hiedeman indicated that the team was filled with frustration, with the accumulating losses sapping the team’s spirit.
In Phoenix, Thomas has expressed that her team’s defensive effort has been insufficient, emphasizing the need for more accountability.
DeWanna Bonner has echoed her partner in recognizing the Mercury’s need for defensive accountability, while also realizing that some patience is required, as the team not only is relying on players new to Phoenix but also new to the WNBA.
Recently, Eric Nemchock highlighted some reasons to believe that the Mercury could turn things around.
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However, I think I’m a bit more encouraged by the Storm’s potential to escape their malaise.
The losses have piled up, but their margin of defeat is not increasing. Their last three losses have been by single digits. While that can make them feel more discouraging to players, as Hiedeman expressed, that trend is encouraging.
Additionally, Dominique Malonga and Flau’jae Johnson, two of the Storm’s future foundations, have been the team’s most positive players.
Across her eight games played, Malonga’s per game plus/minus is just barely negative. She’s also coming off her best game of the season, scoring a career-high 28 points on better than 63 percent shooting in the loss to the Portland Fire. She also stuffed the full stat sheet in a manner expected of her talent, grabbing 11 boards, registering three blocks and nabbing a pair of steals.
Even though her individual numbers are not great, the Storm are losing their minutes with Johnson on the floor by only 1.3 points per game. Over the last three games, the Storm have won Flau’jae’s minutes by 16 points. She’s contributing beyond just scoring, which was expected to be her primary WNBA skill. Against the Los Angeles Sparks, Johnson compensated for another poor shooting night by hustling her way to 12 rebounds, while also dishing six assists without committing a turnover.
While Awa Fam, the third member of the Storm’s future-facing trio, owns the team’s worst plus/minus, her production is trending in the right direction as well. She’s converted over 60 percent of her shots in three of her previous four games, marks that have been encouragingly driven by her 3-point shooting. Awa has made seven of her last 14 3-pointers, a display of shooting potential that inspires optimism in her offensive upside.
Sooner than later, I believe there will be a game when all three of Seattle’s young stars put it all together, producing a hope-restoring victory. These rough days will turn into positive results.
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Will that happen on Saturday? Can the Storm’s youngsters help them avoid the ignominy of a 10-game losing streak? Or, will the Mercury’s vets find the accountability required to wring out a win that, maybe, can become the start of a turnaround?
Share your thoughts about the Storm, Mercury, their presents, their futures and their matchup in the comments.
