Storm’s Flau’jae Johnson joins elite rookie company with A’ja Wilson and Candace Parker originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Seattle Storm got off to a rough start in 2026.
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But their young core is seeing them through the worst of it and through to brighter days ahead.
The Storm has secured consecutive home wins over WNBA title contenders in the New York Liberty and the Atlanta Dream. Saturday’s 105-90 win over Angel Reese and Atlanta saw one Storm rookie make rebounding history that not even Reese managed in her debut season.
MORE: Angel Reese disses Flau’jae Johnson after Storm rookie gets the better of her former LSU teammate
Flau’jae Johnson, Reese’s former LSU teammate, became one of only six rookies ever to accrue at least 50 points and 20 rebounds in a two-game span. The others are A’ja Wilson, Tina Charles, Candace Parker, Tamika Catchings and Yolanda Griffith.
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In what may well be a harbinger of things to come for Johnson, every other player on the list won at least one MVP award in their careers, and four won Defensive Player of the Year.
Johnson scored 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting and hauled in 11 rebounds against Atlanta, in a game that Seattle led wire-to-wire.
It’s arguably the Storm’s most impressive win of the season; Dominique Malonga recorded yet another double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while third overall pick Awa Fam scored 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting.
Though Seattle is 5-15, the young core is coming — and the WNBA’s elite are now on notice.
