Loyd and Ogwumike detail the Storm’s ailing season after road loss to Sun
By Christan Braswell, edited by Charles Hamaker
Montville, CT - As the kids say, the vibes are not immaculate.
Whether the Storm win or lose, the air after games is rich with optimism and unwavering belief that their best foot is being put forward. Owning a 2-5 record in post-Olympic play after a deflating 93-86 loss to the Connecticut Sun (24-8), there’s been a shift in this sentiment.
Seattle Storm shooting guard Jewell Loyd during a huddle in the teams road loss to the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, September 1st, 2024. (Photo from the Seattle Storm/WNBA)
Throughout the season, there was a general understanding that Seattle needed time to figure out what worked best on both sides of the ball. Still, that did not impede their ability to win as a team that appeared to be on a journey to solutions. Since the return to league play, that isn’t the case currently.
“We’re in the playoffs. We have people who haven’t been to the playoffs on this team. We have people that have won multiple times at the end of the season on this team. And I think the gap between that is the mindset. I think that’s what the gap is, whether it’s the eagerness of being together for the first time and putting together a lot of wins before the Olympic break or the perceived complacency coming out of the break. It’s not that people are complacent, but I don’t think that we’re playing with the effort that we need. People play hard, but I think it’s going to require something deeper that we need.”
There was a certain energy about the Storm that carried them in the first half of the season that has since fizzled out on the back half. That’s not to say that it can’t be regained, yet such a stark departure from the hustle and effort that defined their developing idealogy is problematic. With only eight games remaining in the regular season, Seattle should be fine-tuning their approach before a grueling playoff run. Instead, they’re left attempting to reclaim their spark.
“Making the playoffs is what everyone wants to do,” she continued. “I think that we want to be able to control what our path looks like and that’s something we’re trying to find.”
The Olympic break presented it’s fair share of challenges with four players competing in Paris in addition to Storm coach Noelle Quinn as the lead assistant coach for Team Canada.
“For a majority of us in the league, we’ve done this multiple times where we had Olympic breaks. We understand the schedule and we understand that’s part of being in the W. We know it, we have a feel for it. That’s why I have respect for people in this league because we know how it is to go overseas, come back, be a professional. At the end of the day, it’s basketball. You can group a random team together, they play hard, they could probably execute. If they do those things, it comes down to that. Just regrouping and understanding our value for this team, who we are, why we’re here, and find our next push. We know this time of the season where every game and possession matters. It’s a little bit more amplified, and we understand that. Having Gabby [Williams] back, that’s a plus. We obviously know that, but for all of us, we’re still growing in our game. I have so much confidence in every single teammate that we have here and what we’re trying to do. That hasn’t changed. The mindset hasn’t. That’s not an excuse. We understand what that is and how to be professionals.”
The vote of confidence that Loyd and Ogwumike share is crucial for a team that needs to see and hear it. The sky isn’t falling, but the downpour the Storm rained down on the opposition that carried them to a 17-8 record before the Olympic break has dissipated to a light shower. With a 3-8 record against the Sun, New York Liberty, Minnesota Lynx, and Las Vegas Aces, it’s clear that the Storm has quite a ways to go before they can truly be a part of any contender conversation.
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Photos via the Seattle Storm and the WNBA
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