More Notes from Seattle Storm Training Camp

Highlights, lowlights, and roster decisions are looming.

On Thursday, the Seattle Storm had their 4th official practice. It was the second one that I was able to attend. On Media Day this past Monday, we only did press conference-style interviews. Per team rules, media members are allowed to attend roughly the final 30 minutes of practice. Below are the main notes that I took from Thursday’s practice. Some of it is written in shorthand format.

I will add that my thoughts, analysis, and evaluations are based on what I actually see during the portions of practice that are open to the media. Some players may be making impressive contributions when the doors are closed that I haven’t witnessed.

When I sat down, they were working on Baseline and Sideline Out of Bounds Plays. During this, I saw Flau’jae Johnson pop open from a screen and knock down a jumper. Then I saw Elle Ladine knock down a couple of midrange jumpers, curling off a screen while the team ran their baseline out-of-bounds plays.

Next, they worked on some half-court sets. During this part, I saw Jalyn “Ice” Brown knock down a corner three. Mackenzie Holmes scored one or two times in the paint. In between drills, I saw Dominique Malonga dunk a couple of times without getting much of a running start. It’ll be interesting to see if she’s able to dunk in a game this season without having the wide-open lane.

After they finished working on their half-court offense, they got into their 5-on-5 scrimmages. On Sunday, I saw them run scrimmages against the male practice players and against each other (Storm roster). On Thursday, it was only against the men.

Turnovers and More Turnovers

There is one thing that stood out to me more than anything else during the live 5-on-5 scrimmages on Thursday. Unfortunately, it was the number of turnovers Seattle’s players committed.

Open Scrimmages: Players vs Male Practice Players

Game 1:
1st team out: Jade Melbourne, Lexie Brown, Zia Cooke, Stefanie Dolson, and Dominique Malonga.

Coach Raman corrected Jade after a turnover, telling her to slow down.
Dom Malonga hit a corner three, Men hit a corner three, Zia Cooke hit a three on the wing. Lexie Brown missed a corner three-pointer.

Malonga took multiple three-point attempts. She also grabbed a defensive rebound and brought the ball up the court. That is something we’ve seen Ezi Magbegor do, but Dom didn’t show that during her rookie season. Other players had previously mentioned Malonga was doing this, but it was the first time that I got to witness it.

First subs: Flau’jae Johnson and Grace VanSlooten
Second subs: Taina Mair (this happened just 1-2 plays after the first subs)
Men hit another corner 3
Grace with a turnover that led to a men’s transition layup.
Lexie Brown threw a turnover-worthy pass, but the Storm recovered it. Then Taina Mair turned the ball over on the same possession. This led to another transition layup for the men’s team.
The Storm had the ball go out of bounds, but kept the possession with just a few seconds left in the first scrimmage. Taina Mair caught a pass in the corner, took the shot, but it was badly missed. The men won this session 12-8.

After this game, the coaches spent a few extra minutes teaching.

I spoke with Coach Raman about those moments after practice had concluded and asked her about the importance to stop the scrimmage session and taking the time to teach.

“I think there’s a balance between letting them play a little bit in these live moments, but also if you let it go too far, you miss the moment. And they may not remember the next stoppage when I tell them something that happened three plays ago. So, trying to mix in some of those, obviously, we can be liberal with our timeouts because this is practice. And the fact that they were lengthy was intentional. We wanted it to go a little bit longer to feel a little bit more like what Saturday will feel like. So kind of letting that run a little bit, talking to our coaches, and then coming into the huddle just so that they can feel more of a full length and then some. A W(NBA), time out.” Coach Raman answered.

Game 2:
Lineup: Taina Mair, Flau’jae Johnson, Mackenzie Holmes, Rennia Davis, and Jalyn “Ice” Brown.
Men scored when the Storm players didn’t switch properly on defense, giving up an open layup.
Ice Brown hit a corner 3.
Taina Mair committed another turnover - this led to transition two for the men.
Storm Coaches called a timeout after the male practice players led 8-3.
Extended timeout for more teaching.

New lineup:
Beatrice Mompremier, Taina Mair, Rennia Davis, Elle Ladine, and Flau’jae Johnson
Elle turned it over, trying to pass through the gaps
Flau’jae found Rennia for the layup off the pick and roll. This got cheers from the players’ bench.
Men won Game 2, 11-5.

Players who didn’t scrimmage during the 5-on-5:
Natisha Hiedeman, Ezi Magbegor, Jordan Horston, Katie Lou Samuelson, or Jaelyn Brown. I didn’t specifically see Ezi or Katie Lou in the building, but they could have been getting treatment elsewhere in the facility. I didn’t realize Jaelyn Brown (not to be mistaken with Jalyn Brown) had arrived from overseas, but I saw her come out and be on the court shortly before the media were asked to leave. This was after practice, and all post-practice media interviews had been completed.

Overall, it was an ugly practice, but this is to be expected when it’s a team filled with rookies and younger players, with a brand new coaching staff, and during their first week of practice. We’ll have a better idea of what this team looks like this weekend when they face the Golden State Valkyries on Saturday, April 25th, at 5:30 PM.

Roster Decisions

The Seattle Storm will have to make a couple of difficult decisions for the final roster spot. Things are also more complicated because of the injuries surrounding the team. I have Jordan Horston and Katie Lou Samuelson as the top two small forwards on the roster, but both of them are recovering from torn ACL injuries. I know that Jordan Horston is hopeful that she will be ready to go for the season opener on May 8th, but it’s uncertain (possibly doubtful) that Samuelson will be. And even Horston playing in the opener isn’t a guarantee.

We also know that Ezi Magbegor is out injured and will miss at least the first month of the season. The Storm said she will be re-evaluated in 6-8 weeks. Magbegor is likely to miss 10-20 games this year (1/4 to 1/2 of the season).

Awa Fam is still playing overseas in Spain. She will not participate in Saturday’s first preseason game. Fam will have to quickly adapt to the team once she gets to Seattle. I wouldn’t be surprised if they slowly bring her along, despite Magbegor’s injury. They don’t need to rush her into a situation that she isn’t prepared for. And they don’t want the 19-year-old to struggle early on and lose confidence.

I believe Mackenzie Holmes always had a good chance to make the final 12 out of camp this year (last year she was one of the final cuts). However, with Magbegor’s injury and Awa Fam’s late start, I see Mackenzie Holmes as being third on the post depth chart, at least initially, behind Dominique Malonga and Stefanie Dolson. I would be pretty shocked if Holmes doesn’t make it.

The Storm can’t put Ezi Magbegor on something like the NFL PUP list (Physically Unable to Perform). The NFL has a policy where teams can free up a roster spot while a player is injured. But the Storm will have to keep Magbegor on the 12-player roster even if she misses half of the season.

While it is always possible that they could place a surprise on the main 12-player roster, I believe it’ll likely come down to these 13 players. Natisha Hiedeman, Jade Melbourne, Taina Mair, Flau’jae Johnson, Zia Cooke, Lexie Brown, Jordan Horston, Katie Lou Samuelson, Ezi Magbegor, Awa Fam, Mackenzie Holmes, Dominique Malonga, and Stefanie Dolson. As I wrote above, due to Magbegor’s injury and Fam’s late start, I believe all five post players will make the roster, including Holmes. I have Hiedeman as the Storm’s starting point guard and Melbourne as the team’s primary backup. I believe Flau’jae Johnson will earn the starting Shooting guard position. Even if for some reason she didn’t, she’s clearly going to make the final roster.

If it goes as expected, then I believe that the final two spots will come down to Zia Cooke, Lexie Brown, and Taina Mair. It is very early, but Mair has struggled in camp from what I have seen. Admittedly, the media is very limited in what we’re able to watch. And I’ve only seen two practices, so it’s very early. Also, it is normal for rookies to struggle early on. I feel Mair would be a strong pick to be one of the primary developmental spots. The problem with that is that the Storm would have to cut/waive her and then risk any of the other 14 WNBA teams picking her up. Because she is a first-round pick, they might keep her on the main roster and just hope to develop her more as the 12th player on the main roster.

If Seattle does keep Mair, then the decision would likely come down to Zia Cooke and Lexie Brown. Brown has a guaranteed contract, which in the past would force the Storm’s hand to keep her on the roster. However, because they are in the middle of a rebuild and did not sign multiple players to max contracts, the Storm have enough salary cap space to cut a player on a guaranteed contract. They will still have to pay out that full contract, but they don’t have to keep that person on the 12-player roster.

Last season, Zia Cooke was certainly the better player over Lexie Brown. Brown did not have a good relationship with Coach Noelle Quinn, but that is no longer an issue as the team hired Coach Sonia Raman to take over this season. Brown also talked about her extended conversation with Coach Raman during Media Day.

We saw the Phoenix Mercury buy out the contract of Kalani Brown recently. I thought the Storm might do that with Lexie Brown, but now that she’s been participating in training camp, that seems less likely to happen. I don’t know if that means Lexie is more of a lock to make the final roster than I think she is, or just that they want more time to evaluate everyone and give Lexie a true opportunity to make the team.

Developmental Spots

One great thing about the new WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, outside of the massive pay raises, is that teams are now allowed to sign two additional players (14 total) to the roster. The two extra spots are for developmental players who don’t count against the salary cap (they don’t get paid full WNBA salaries). Players with three years or less of experience are eligible to be placed on the development squad.

Because they have entered a rebuild, the Seattle Storm’s roster is very young. They have six rookies in training camp. That includes their four draft picks, Awa Fam, Flau’jae Johnson, Taina Mair, and Grace VanSlooten. They also signed Elle Ladine and Jalyn Brown, who both went undrafted.

Not only do they have the six rookies in camp, but I believe they have five additional players who would still qualify for a developmental roster spot. Those players include Zia Cooke, Mackenzie Holmes, Rennia Davis, Beatrice Mompremier, and Jaelyn Brown. Normally, Jade Melbourne would also qualify, but since she signed a guaranteed contract, that should rule her out. The five other players listed here have signed unprotected training camp contracts.

Of the six rookies, I think only Awa Fam and Flau’jae Johnson are 100% guaranteed to make the 12-player roster out of camp. That would leave the four other rookies and five other younger players fighting for maybe 2-3 regular roster spots, plus the two developmental spots.

If the Storm keep Zia Cooke and Mackenzie Holmes on the main roster, then they would either have to waive rookie Taina Mair or release Lexie Brown. If they keep Brown and Mair, then they would likely have to waive Zia Cooke. I don’t see any scenario where they keep all four of these players on the 12-player roster.

For argument’s sake, let’s say the team releases Lexie Brown. That allows them to keep Cooke, Holmes, and Mair on the main roster. Then they would have two additional developmental spots for the remaining players: rookies Grace VanSlooten, Elle Ladine, and Jalyn Brown, plus Davis, Mompremier, and the other J. Brown.

I haven’t seen Jaelyn Brown practice yet, but I do know that she’s had some decent games in the WNBA over the past two years. She played 10 games with the Connecticut Sun last year and averaged nearly 4.0 PPG. She also shot 44% from beyond the arc on roughly two attempts per game. Brown played 14 games with the Dallas Wings in 2024. Even though I haven’t seen how she looks in camp, the fact that she’s had some productive games in the WNBA would lead me to believe she has a solid chance to be one of the developmental players.

It’s difficult to say whether Elle Ladine or Grace VanSlooten are true WNBA players or not. I think they’ve made a couple of nice plays in training camp, but nothing that clearly stood out. To be fair to them, I’m not sure if I’ve seen enough from Taina Mair either. The best thing Mair has going for her is that she was a first-round pick and plays one of the most important positions (point guard), which raises her value.

Since Awa Fam is not in training camp yet, I would say the rookie I have been most impressed with after Flau’jae Johnson is actually Jalyn Brown. I think she’s more athletic than any of the other rookies. She’s made some nice plays during both practices I’ve seen. “Ice” Brown has good size for a guard/wing at 6’1”, and she is lengthy. I don’t know her wingspan off-hand, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s greater than 6’1”. Another thing I think “Ice” Brown has going for her is that the team probably needs more wing depth. If Horston and Samuelson are still injured at the start of the season, the team will need more depth there. Even if Horston is back, but Katie Lou is out for the first month, they might need to activate one of the developmental players. A 6’1” athletic wing makes a lot of sense to me to have in that spot.

After Thursday’s practice, I spoke with Coach Sonia Raman about what she’s seen from Jalyn Brown.

“She’s fast, right? She can get up the floor. She’s really quick. You know, she has really good length. So when she’s, she’s still learning. So as she gets to where the spots that she needs to be in defensively, she can get her hands on things, get deflections, and she can get out and run. I think that those two phases of the game are where she’s been; she’s stood out a little bit more.” Raman told me.

I think it’ll be an uphill battle for Beatrice Mompremier because the Storm have already invested back-to-back top-three picks in Dominique Malonga and Awa Fam. Plus, they have veterans Ezi Magbegor and Stefanie Dolson. I would also have Mackenzie Holmes ahead of Mompremier on the depth chart.

I wouldn’t rule out Rennia Davis as an option for the developmental roster. Davis is also 6’1”, and she is strong. She has good muscle on her. If I had to guess, I think at least one of the two developmental spots goes to either Jalyn Brown, Jaelyn Brown, or Rennia Davis. If Zia Cooke or Taina Mair were cut from the main roster, in a scenario where they kept Lexie Brown, then I’d think the Storm would likely put one of them on the developmental roster as well. But they are probably at a higher risk of being poached by another team compared to some of the other players I’ve suggested.

Coach Raman Interview

I’ve also included the scrum interview the Seattle Media did with Coach Sonia Raman after Thursday’s practice.

Notes:
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