The Seattle Storm is a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently led by Australian basketball star Lauren Jackson and University of Connecticut star Sue Bird.
The team cultivates a fan-friendly, family environment at home games by having an all-kid dance squad, which leads young fans in a conga line on the court during time-outs, to the music of "C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)" by the Quad City DJs. Named for the rainy weather of Seattle, the team uses many weather-related icons: the team mascot is Doppler, a maroon-furred creature with a cup anemometer on its head; the theme song for Storm home games is AC/DC's Thunderstruck; and its newsletter is called Stormwatch.
The Storm was the sister team of the Seattle SuperSonics until February 28, 2008, when the team was sold to an independent ownership group in Seattle. The Seattle Storm tipped off their first season (the 2000 WNBA season) in typical expansion fashion. Coached by Lin Dunn and led by guard Edna Campbell and Czech center Kamila Vodichkova, the team finished with a 6-26 record. The low record, however, allowed the Storm to draft 19-year old Australian standout Lauren Jackson. Though Seattle did not make the playoffs in the 2001 season, Jackson's impressive rookie performance provided a solid foundation for the franchise to build on.
In the 2002 draft, the Storm drafted UConn star Sue Bird, filling the Storm's the gap at the point guard position. With Bird's playmaking ability and Jackson's scoring and rebounding, the team made the playoffs for the first time in 2002, but was swept by the Los Angeles Sparks.
Coach Anne Donovan was hired for the 2003 campaign. In Donovan's first year, Jackson would win the WNBA Most Valuable Player Award, but the team had a disappointing season (with Bird injured for much of the year), and the Storm missed the playoffs.
The 2004 Storm posted a franchise best 20-14 record. In the playoffs, the Storm made quick work of the Minnesota Lynx, sweeping them in the first round. The Storm then squared off against an up-and-coming Sacramento Monarchs team in the West Finals. The Storm would emerge victorious, winning the series 2-1. In the WNBA Finals, the Storm would finish off the season as champions, defeating the Connecticut Sun 2 games to 1. Betty Lennox was named MVP of the Finals. The team's win brought a national professional sports championship to Seattle for the first time since the Seattle SuperSonics won the NBA title in 1979. The win also made Anne Donovan the first female head coach in WNBA history to win the WNBA Championship.
Key players from the Storm's championship season were not on the team in 2005. Vodichkova, Tully Bevilaqua, and Sheri Sam moved on to other teams. In addition, the pre-season injury of Australian star and new acquisition Jessica Bibby hampered the team's 2005 season. While they matched their 2004 record and made the playoffs, the Storm's title defense was stopped in the first round by the Houston Comets, 2 games to 1.
In 2006, the Storm would finish 18-16, good enough to make the playoffs. The Storm put up a good fight in the first round against the Sparks, but would fall short 2-1. In 2007, the Storm would finish .500 (17-17), good enough to make the playoffs in a weak Western Conference. The Storm would be quickly swept out of the playoffs by the Phoenix Mercury.
On November 30, 2007 The Storm announced that Head coach, Anne Donovan had resigned. On January 9, 2008 Brian Agler was named head coach to replace Anne Donovan.
Following disagreements between the Basketball Club of Seattle (the former owners of the Sonics and Storm) and the city of Seattle concerning the need to renovate the Key Arena, the Seattle SuperSonics and the Seattle Storm were sold to an Oklahoma City group led by Clay Bennett on July 18, 2006. Bennett made it clear that the Sonics and Storm would move to Oklahoma City at some point after the 2007-08 NBA season, unless an arena for the Sonics is approved by Seattle leaders before October 31, 2007. During this period of uncertainty, the Storm announced that they will play their 2008 WNBA season in Seattle at Key Arena.
On January 8, 2008, Bennett sold the team to a local group of women called Force 10 Hoops, LLC, pending league approval. The sale was given unanimous approval from the WNBA Board of Governors on February 28, 2008. This keeps the team in Seattle, and disconnects it from the Sonics who are headed to Oklahoma City.
