Storm Chasers Chat (WNBA)

For this episode of Storm Chasers Chat, I was out at the Seattle Storm’s practice facility watching Day 1 of WNBA Training Camp. I wanted to meet the five new rookies and get to know them a little better. I thought Storm fans would enjoy hearing their personalities and some of the things the newest players are interested in. Those five new players are Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, Jade Melbourne, Madi Williams, Jade Loville, and Jordan Horston.

After interviewing the players, I was able to speak with Storm Head Coach Noelle Quinn about what she saw from her team during the first day, what she likes about these players, and if her approach is different with such a young roster compared to previous seasons.

In total, the interviews combined are nearly 25 minutes.Timestamps:Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (00:38-03:00)Jade Melbourne (03:00-05:47)Madi Williams (05:48-09:25)Jade Loville (09:26-11:36)Jordan Horston (11:37-16:03)Coach Noelle Quinn (16:04-24:13)

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For this episode of Storm Chasers Chat I had the opportunity to speak with Seattle Storm General Manager Talisa Rhea. I wanted to discuss the team’s moves in Free Agency and the WNBA Draft right before WNBA Training Camp begins at the end of the month.

The interview is roughly 20 minutes long as we discussed Seattle’s approach to Free Agency. The additions of new players Arella Guirantes, Jasmine Walker, and Kaila Charles. The latest update on Gabby Williams and her Free Agency status for this season. We then dove into the WNBA Draft to discuss the team’s approach to preparing for the draft and their excitement on their newly acquired players - Jordan Horston, Madi Williams, Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, and Jade Loville. I also got to ask her about top Australian prospect, Jade Melbourne, who was drafted last season and will be joining the team this year. We finished the interview by having Rhea tell me about her expectations for Training Camp this season.

Enjoy!

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The Seattle Storm and the Las Vegas Aces begin their highly anticipated playoff series this Sunday down in Las Vegas. The two teams met in the 2020 WNBA Finals with Seattle coming away with the championship. This year, the Aces will be favored to win it all as they hold the #1 overall seed in the playoffs. Can Seattle pull off the upset?

This week I had the opportunity to interview players from both teams. I spoke with Jewell Loyd, Stephanie Talbot, and Breanna Stewart of the Storm. I also had the opportunity to interview WNBA Coach of the Year, Vegas’s Becky Hammon, about her first season as a head coach in the WNBA. Lastly, I was able to interview A’ja Wilson and Aisha Sheppard of the Las Vegas Aces about this important playoff matchup against Seattle.

In total, the interviews are around 20 minutes long. I hope you enjoy them!

Timestamps:00:28-6:47 - Jewell Loyd (Storm)6:47-13:05 - Stephanie Talbot and Breanna Stewart (Storm)13:05-17:48 - Becky Hammon (Aces)17:48-21:05 - A’ja Wilson and Aisha Sheppard (Aces)

Notes: Follow my Twitter (@WNBAStormChaser) Thanks for all the great support! Please tell other Storm and WNBA fans about my coverage!

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The Seattle Media just got done speaking with Coach Noelle Quinn prior to tip-off against the Las Vegas Aces. The game starts at 12:00 PM and airs nationally on ABC. Listen to the full interview before the game starts!

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I’m trying to do a better job of also including audio content along with all of my written work. I was able to speak with Coach Noelle Quinn prior to tip-off for tonight’s game against the Phoenix Mercury.

Instead of trying to transcribe the interview, I’m uploading the audio for everyone to listen to that’s interested. I spoke with Coach Quinn about the emotions of this game being the last time Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi face off against one another, the challenges of playing against a team fighting for the last playoff spot, how Tina Charles is doing coming into this game after playing for and leaving the Mercury team earlier this season, and the keys to pulling out the victory tonight.

It’s a quick 5-minute interview, so give it a listen before the game!

If you’re interested in more detailed articles covering the Seattle Storm and the WNBA consider becoming a paid subscriber. Thanks for all the support!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stormchasersbasketball.com/subscribe

On Tuesday, the Seattle Storm introduced 8-time WNBA All-Star as the newest member of the team. Charles, released from her contract with the Phoenix Mercury, opted to sign with the Storm for the rest of the 2022 season.

The Seattle media gathered both in person and over Zoom to interview the star player as she discussed her decision to switch teams, what she can bring to the table, how she’ll fit in with the rest of the roster, thoughts on retirement, her important charity work, and more.

You can listen to the 17-minute audio interview at the link above.

And also consider checking out my article on what the Tina Charles signing means for Seattle as I discuss the potential pros and cons of this major mid-season acquisition.

What Adding Tina Charles Means for the Storm

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Follow my Twitter (@WNBAStormChaser) Photo Credits to Neil Enns/Seattle Storm/WNBA Photography TeamThanks for all the great support! Please tell other Storm fans about my coverage!

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This latest episode includes several Zoom interviews I had with Seattle Storm players over this past week. I got to speak with Briann January and Reshanda Gray on Tuesday. Then I got to speak with Epiphanny Prince, Ezi Magbegor, and Gabby Williams on Thursday. In total, it’s nearly 30 minutes of interview audio for you guys to listen to.

One request I got last season was to do more digital content whether that was podcasts with commentary, audio interviews, a YouTube channel, etc. I’m always looking for ways to attract more subscribers and provide more content for those that have already paid to really make it worth the investment. My goal is to provide more in-depth coverage of the Seattle Storm and the WNBA than you can get anywhere else.

During this episode, I spoke with Briann January about her feud with Diana Taurasi and what she’s seen out of the team’s defense and offense so far.

I asked Reshanda Gray about her experience joining training camp late and the mindset to always stay ready and prepared for any opportunity. And how she was tossed into a larger role with Stewie being out of action.

Epiphanny Prince and I spoke about the really impressive bench production this season for the Storm. Her thoughts on the team, the offensive struggles, and her experience being out and quarantined due to the Health and Safety protocols.

Ezi and I spoke about her defensive improvement this season. How she’s avoiding getting into foul trouble that plagued her earlier in her career. What she’s learned from Stewie and Liz Cambage over the years. And what she’s seen out of Stephanie Talbot as of late.

Lastly, I spent nearly 10 minutes talking with Gabby Williams about a lot of great things including the mental side of basketball, her incredible block at the end of the Chicago game, the focus and importance of the team’s defense, the team’s offensive struggles, and more.

Take a moment to listen to these interviews before Seattle’s game against the LA Sparks!

Notes: A huge thank you to all the paid subscribers. I greatly appreciate your support. Please help spread the word if you have friends or family that also love the WNBA and are looking for more coverage on the Storm and the league. This audio interview is a perk to subscribers and will be released at a later date for those signed up for the free newsletter.

Follow my Twitter (@WNBAStormChaser)

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Prior to the Seattle Storm’s home opener, the Seattle sports media was able to sit down with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to discuss a variety of topics. You can listen to the near-20 minutes interview above.

The following topics were covered during the interview.

* Roster expansion of the current 12 teams

* How she manages and prioritizes all the demands from players and fans

* The latest on the Brittney Griner situation

* The Retirement of Sylvia Fowles and (possibly) Sue Bird & creation of new stars

* Commissioner’s Cup details and minor changes for this season

* Civic and Community Work - Social Changes

* Expansion of two new teams and future expansion plans

* Listening to player feedback

* Arena challenges around the league and scheduling issues

As I look to create more value for paid subscribers I’m going to try and produce more audio content throughout this season. I’m going to start uploading more of my audio interviews with players and coaches. And possibly even do some audio podcast commentary about certain games or throughout certain periods of the season.

This conversation with Commissioner Engelbert is important to listen to. The league has a tremendous amount of challenges ahead. Players want more, fans want more for the players, and a ton of progress has been made since Engelbert took over. But there is still so much more to be done and it’ll be interesting to see the progress made with the league over the next 3-5 years.

Enjoy!

Notes: A huge thank you to all the paid subscribers. I greatly appreciate your support. Please help spread the word if you have friends or family that also love the WNBA and are looking for more coverage on the Storm and the league. This audio interview is a perk to subscribers and will be released at a later date for those signed up for the free newsletter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stormchasersbasketball.com/subscribe

Evina Westbrook was selected 21st overall in the 2022 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm. The Oregon native moved across the country to play college basketball. She played her first two years at the University of Tennessee before transferring to the Connecticut Huskies to finish her career.

Westbrook’s versatility may be her best asset. Not unlike another UConn player, the Storm acquired this off-season - Gabby Williams. Westbrook averaged 14.9 PPG and 5.3 APG her sophomore season at Tennessee. During her junior season at UConn, she continued to develop her overall game averaging 9.4 PPG on 58% FG shooting from two-point range. She also averaged a college career-best 5.3 RPG and 1.7 SPG. Her numbers dipped a little bit her senior season but were still similar to the year before.

While attending a couple of practices during training camp it’s been pretty apparent that Westbrook is working hard and doing her best to give off a strong first impression. She was running the backup point guard position behind Sue Bird on the very first day of camp. That impressed me as the point guard position is arguably the most difficult position to play in basketball. She has also been the last player on the court after practices have ended continuing to get additional shots up and working with coaches.

On Saturday, Westbrook was the first guard reserve off the bench and played for nearly 15 minutes. She spent time playing both the point guard and wing positions in the game. She did not have a great shooting night, going just 1-5 FG from the floor. But she did connect on her first three-point attempt. Evina also had an impressive steal after Los Angeles had just collected a defensive rebound. She got the ball to Breanna Stewart who converted the layup.

Prior to Saturday’s game, I got to sit down and speak with Evina Westbrook after practice this past Thursday. You can listen to that interview at the podcast link above or read the transcript of the interview below. Enjoy!

Evina Westbrook Training Camp Interview

Jeff Brown: Take me back to your draft day experience. How was that for you? Did you get a call before seeing your name on TV?

Evina Westbrook: I did not get a call so I had no idea where I was going to end up. Throughout the day the anticipation was killing me. Most of the day my family was really excited. I don’t think it hit me until the draft actually started. The best thing for me was for my family to be there and just love on me. They hyped it up, they had me walk out and have my brother announce me. It was really nice. Once my name got called to the Storm, I dreamed of playing here! It’s close to home. I haven’t been close to home for 4-5 years. Being in the same time zone as my family for the first time (in a long time). I definitely didn’t think it’d be this soon but I’m in a great organization and for this to be my first year, my rookie year, it’s beyond a blessing, to be honest. My draft night experience was good, the anticipation killed me, but the way it all turned out was pretty great.

JB: You did mention this was a perfect situation for you. Obviously, being closer to home but anything beyond that?EW: I’m really used to the weather, the rain that people talk about and they might not like. I’m really used to it being from Oregon. I just think the pace of how everything is compared to the east coast. In the New York area, everything is in a rush, in a rush, in a rush. Back home on the west coast it’s real chill. Calm, cool, collected, it’s really smooth. I’m glad to be back in my element.JB: How would you compare this experience in training camp with your first year at UConn and any major differences?EW: I would say it’s pretty similar. You don’t know what to expect coming in. It’s different because I didn’t have an official visit here. It’s kinda like the recruitment process but backward. I’m not looking at schools. You have coaches calling me to see how good of a person you are. Other than that, you just gotta go out and play. Obviously, the pace and the things we try to do in practice are a little bit different. I said on the Zoom, I don’t want to but I do thank him because I did feel really prepared (for the WNBA). JB: What would you say is the biggest takeaway or thing you’ve learned from training camp so far?EW: My biggest takeaway is to just go with the mess-ups. I feel like every drill, I know we’re not, but I feel like every drill we’re messing up. We’re messing up something, we didn’t move in the right place or set the right screen. Our veterans are super helpful. It’s cool to see how they lead the team. Sue is obviously a big voice, Stewie, Jewell, and even Jantel. It’s her first year (with the Storm) but she’s considered a veteran on the team. We have some that are super quiet on the sidelines like Ezi or Steph but they will communicate stuff in different ways if we have questions. They’ve been amazing helping us navigate through our mess-ups. Really just go out and play basketball. I think people can be like “Oh my god, you’re playing with Sue, Stewie, and Jewell - you have three GOATS on your team.” and it’s like yeah, I have the utmost respect for all of my teammates but you can’t come out and play scared especially as a rookie. That’s not what they want, that’s not what they expect. You can’t come out and play scared. You just have to come out and play basketball.JB: Touching on that, were there any moments of being awe-struck or star-struck like “That’s Sue Bird!”, “That’s Breanna Stewart!” or is it more “Hey, I got drafted for a reason too! I went to UConn too.” having more of that confidence?EW: I’ve seen Sue and Stewie. They’ve come out to school, to our games. We’ve already had a relationship, I’ve met Jewell a couple of times before as well. I’ve known everybody pretty much before I got here. Just coming out here, watching them workout first was kinda crazy. I was like “I’m going to be on the court with Sue, Stewie, Jewell, or Piph.” - I think that “in awe” moment took place while watching them work out. Tomorrow in practice, I just want to be locked in. I don’t want to be that one person they have to drag along. I try to be as locked in as possible and at the same time, I’m trying to be aggressive with them. If I’m guarding them I’m trying to show them that I may be a rookie but I’m no punk either. I try to get in there as much as I can and learn from them, be a sponge as much as possible and soak up whatever they can give me.JB: With the WNBA, it’s well-known it’s extremely hard to make rosters in the league, it’s very limited. At-most 144 (players) and realistically not even that many spots. Did the organization talk to you about that, give you any expectations or any advice on what to expect?EW: Not really, you just gotta go out and carve out your spot on the team. You have to try and make that happen. For playing here, they’re known for being a really good basketball team. They have a lot of returners coming back and a lot of pieces in the right places. It’s just your job at the end of the day, everyone knows this is a job. You have to come out and play basketball, play hard, and figure out what your role is within the system. I just try to show to do the little things to show the team I’m committed. At the same time, it’s kind of weird now. I say weird because I’m still getting used to it. It’s pretty surreal that this is MY job. After practice, I go home and I have nothing to do. I have no homework. What do I do with my time? It’s really just basketball. It’s really fun, I’m really falling in love with getting better at my job. Staying late after practice or arriving early. Whatever it may be, taking care of my body now. It’s still surreal to me that this is MY job.

JB: For those that didn’t get a chance to watch a ton of UConn games over the past few years what is your self-scouting report on what you do best out on the court?EW: What I did at UConn, I was very versatile. I wasn’t as consistent from the thre…

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The Seattle Storm have had a long tradition of Australian players on their roster over the years. It started with Katrina Hibbert who was drafted in the 4th round of the team’s inaugural season in 2000 and scored the first points in franchise history. And is most well-known for the dominant play of Lauren Jackson who helped lead the franchise to their first two WNBA Championships in 2004 and 2010. Jackson would become a three-time league MVP (2003, 2007, 2010) and a seven-time WNBA All-Star throughout her 12-year career. Tully Bevilaqua played two seasons with the Storm including the 2004 Championship team. Abby Bishop was a rookie on the 2010 Championship club and would return to play two additional seasons in 2015 and 2016. Jenna O’Hea also played with the Storm between 2014-2016, including starting 14 game in 2015.

While not a native of Australia, Sami Whitcomb was discovered by the Storm after playing overseas for several years in Australia. The Storm would sign her to a contract in 2017 and she would become a key contributor off the bench for the Storm’s 2018 and 2020 Championship teams. Whitcomb officially became a Dual-Citizen with Australia in 2018.

The Australian tradition in Seattle continues as Ezi Magbegor is set to play her third season with the Storm and Stephanie Talbot will be in her second.

At just 22-years old Ezi has just begun to scratch the surface of her incredibly high ceiling. Meanwhile, Talbot (27) was the pleasant surprise out of training camp last season not only making the final roster but becoming a well-trusted player that started nine games and played a large role off the bench; something that was missing with Sami Whitcomb now playing for the New York Liberty.

Talbot had career-highs in several categories including 5.7 PPG, 48% FG shooting, 42% 3-PT FG shooting, and 2.9 RPG. She scored a season-high 21 points against the Dallas Wings on June 4th while knocking down 4-5 three-pointers.

Magbegor also set career-highs with 6.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 56% 3-PT FG shooting (on limited attempts), and 85% from the FT line. Her best games last season included a 14-point, 13-rebound performance against the Las Vegas Aces on May 18th. 20 points and nine rebounds against the Los Angeles Sparks on July 4th. 21 points and nine rebounds against the Chicago Sky on August 15th. 15 points and six rebounds twice - against the Washington Mystics and Phoenix Mercury in the month of September. I feel that is a fair sample size to show off the massive potential that Magbegor still has at just 22 years old.

She just needs to become a bit more consistent and get the playing time. Last year, especially early, she was sitting behind both Breanna Stewart and Candice Dupree. With Dupree gone and Mercedes Russell nursing an injury where her return is still in question, Magbegor should get more opportunities this season.

I had the opportunity to interview both Ezi and Steph on Thursday after practice as the two gear up for the first preseason game of the season this Saturday. I also spoke with Coach Noelle Quinn about what she envisions for the two of them this year.

In the interview (audio posted above) we discuss topics including how their experience has changed from their first training camps with the Storm to this year, roles and expectations for this season, evaluating one another (Ezi on Steph, Steph on Ezi’s game), their overseas experience, their thoughts on the Storm selecting Australian-native Jade Melbourne, and their messages to Storm fans.

Championship teams don’t just rely on one superstar. It truly takes a team effort to win at the highest level. You need those complementary pieces and I believe both Ezi and Steph are key pieces for the Storm’s chances to win their 5th WNBA title this season.

Notes: Subscribers get all game recaps the morning after each game. As well as additional content including audio interviews, draft, free agency articles, and more! Consider becoming a paid subscriber this season!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stormchasersbasketball.com/subscribe