Aside from the rims being a little tight, the Storm gave rave reviews about their new $64 million practice facility following the first day of training camp Sunday.
“This place is special,” coach Noelle Quinn said. “It feels good. Our organization has done an amazing job, not just with this facility, but we have more help from a staff standpoint.
“This is our first day, but we’ve been here a little over a week now and already you can see and feel that investment in this team. … Like I said, it’s an amazing feeling.”
In terms of personnel, the Storm’s biggest offseason investments were free-agent acquisitions Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith, who will cost the franchise over $400,000 in combined salaries this year.
All eyes were on the two newcomers as they shared the court with Storm star Jewell Loyd in a makeshift lineup that included returner Mercedes Russell and training camp invitee Victoria Vivians.
Not surprisingly, there were far more turnovers than assists in the final minutes of a longer-than-expected, three-hour workout.
Still, the miscues drew the ire of Quinn, who stopped practice after consecutive turnovers to stress the importance of taking care of the ball.
“There were some good moments and some not-so-good moments that will become better as training camp goes along,” Quinn said. “But overall, I’m pleased. This was a great first day. We got up and down [the court] and I thought their energy level never ceased.”
When asked specifically about Ogwumike and Diggins-Smith, Quinn was complimentary and stressed patience.
“I thought they looked good,” she said. “Obviously, they’re not at their best right now. It’s Day 1 and I don’t expect them to look their best. We started film at 11 and finished … [three and half hours] later. It’s the first time we got up and down [the court] with this group. So, we have to be mindful of where we are as we start this season and going forward.
“I really enjoyed having their presence, their leadership and their voices out there. Their talking is consistent. It was continuous and it’s contagious. You have an amazing point guard and you have an amazing post presence. Both of them are very solid leaders. The basketball is going to come. I’m not concerned about that in any way. The chemistry is going to come with more reps. More than anything, I’m excited about where we can go.”
Although she’s starting her 10th season, the 33-year-old Diggins-Smith admitted she felt nervous before Sunday’s practice.
“It was like the first day of school where you have a lot of anticipation for it to come,” Diggins-Smith said. “It’s kind of surreal getting reacquainted with the familiar faces in Jewell and Nneka and just seeing us all share the same jersey.
“To be on the floor with your teammates, obviously it’s a lot of emotions that you feel. Everybody’s excited. Some people may be nervous. I had a gap year last year, so yeah, it’s a lot of learning and information. You try to pay attention as much as you can to retain, but I thought it was cool.”
Due to her position, there’s a bit of added pressure on Diggins-Smith, a six-time WNBA All-Star point guard, to learn a new offensive scheme, direct the attack and resurrect an offense that ranked last in assists (17.7 per game) and next to last in scoring (78.8 points) in 2023.
“Eventually, all the pressure will be on me, but today I’m still learning,” said Diggins-Smith, who spent her previous three seasons in the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury and is returning from an 18-month layoff following the birth of her second child. “I’m trying to figure out where the hell I’m supposed to be. So, not very much pressure today. This is a grace day and this whole week probably will be because there’s so much newness.”
The 33-year-old Ogwumike, who spent 12 years with the Los Angeles Sparks before joining the Storm, knows exactly what Diggins-Smith is feeling.
“This is all new for me,” Ogwumike said. “But there’s still this familiarity because this is your team. So, understanding that you don’t have to be necessarily so jittery. What I’m excited about is just being here in Seattle with these teammates, this staff and getting that first day of school energy out the way.”
With just eight practices and two exhibitions remaining before their May 14 regular season opener, Ogwumike said it’s imperative she and Diggins-Smith take the lead as the Storm forge a new identity.
“It’s vital,” she said. “We don’t need to be boxing ourselves in or holding back in any way, so people get the full spectrum of who we are. This is an environment that fosters that vulnerability and that comfortability.
“Noey [Quinn] has made it very clear, this year depends on us being ourselves. She doesn’t want us to be in a situation where we don’t feel like we’re being ourselves. That investment takes us pouring who we are into the team and the goal of what we want to do.”
NOTES:
- Fifth-year center Ezi Magbegor, who is expected to arrive at camp Monday, isn’t expected to make her practice debut this week and will likely miss the Storm’s exhibition opener Saturday.
- Second-year forward Jordan Horston missed practice due to an ankle injury.