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2002 Results: The Storm finished 17-15 (.531, fourth in West) and lost to Los Angeles in the Western Conference Playoffs. Roster | Stats | 2003 Schedule Purchase Storm tickets now! WNBA 2003 Season Preview

2003 Probable Starters: C: Kamila Vodichkiva PF: Lauren Jackson SF: Amanda Lassiter SG: Adia Barnes PG: Sue Bird

2003 Draft Results: Rd. 1: Jung Sun-Min Rd. 2: Suzy Batkovic Rd. 3: Chrissy Floyd D.D.*: Alisa Burras

2002 Leaders: Points Lauren Jackson, 17.2 ppg Rebs. Lauren Jackson, 6.8 rpg Assts. Sue Bird, 6.0 apg Blocks Lauren Jackson, 2.89 bpg Steals Sue Bird, 1.72 spg

Head Coach: Anne Donovan enters her first season with the team, after coaching the Charlotte Sting the last two seasons and the Indiana Fever for one season before that. She has a 45-51 (.469) career coaching record.

They Said It: “We can’t possibly hit our stride until sometime in June. We’ll still be adjusting and teaching incoming players the system that’s been put in. That’s okay with me. As long as we’re peaking by the middle of the season and we can head right into the playoffs with that kind of push, that’s fine.” --Head coach Anne Donovan on the players learning a new system.

VGM Prospect: Lauren Jackson Jackson ranked in the top five in the league last season in both points and blocks and will continue to be the number one option for the Storm.

Storm Headlines: Kate Starbird returns home Free agency benefits Storm

(*-Denotes "Dispersal Draft")

The Seattle Storm are on a roll.

Bird

Or at least they were the last time we saw them. By ending the 2002 campaign with victories in seven of their last 10 regular season games, the Storm finished with 17 W's, almost tripling their win total from their inaugural season in 2000, and capturing the first playoff appearance in team history.

Rookie point guard Sue Bird came in strong and immediately established a solid inside-outside presence with fellow All-Star Lauren Jackson. Bird finished the season as a First Team All-WNBA selection.

With most of their 2002 roster intact, the biggest change is not on the court, but on the sidelines.

Anne Donovan comes in to take the reigns as head coach following the resignation of original head coach Lin Dunn. Donovan comes to Seattle after two seasons in Charlotte and one in Indiana. When hired, Donovan spoke of the potential of the young Storm. “I am so thrilled about the opportunity to coach the Storm, a young and exciting team that showed such great promise last summer,” Donovan told the Storm website. “The prospect of coaching two of the game’s most exciting and decorated players in Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson was incredibly appealing to me and I look forward to beginning this new chapter in my career.”

As much as Dunn brought the team along its first three years in the league, the players are excited for a change. Lauren Jackson told the Seattle Times recently, "I'm really looking forward to doing some individual work with her (Donovan). I loved Lin, but Anne is really positive and seems lovely, a real player's coach."

A big key for the Storm this season is to identify a consistent third scorer behind Jackson and Bird. Center Kamila Vodichkova showed sparks at times last season and outside threats Kate Starbird and free-agent signee Sandy Brondello are candidates to provide off-the-bench scoring. Dispersal draft selection Alisa Burras, the top shooter in the WNBA last season, may also be that third option.

Houston and Los Angeles look to again be the power in the West, but youth is on the side of the Storm. The nucleus they built over the last two years will provide solid basketball in Seattle for years to come.

Not chosen in the dispersal draft, WNBA veteran Sandy Brondello signed as a free agent along with Tully Bevilaqua and Stacey Thomas. Brondello is a career 40% 3-point shooter who can provide needed outside help off the bench. Thomas is known for her defense and will try to make her way into coach Anne Donovan's rotation. Bevilaqua immediately fills a need at the back-up point guard spot.

The Storm have built solidy through the draft with the selections of Jackson and Bird with the first picks in 2001 and 2002, but this year they took a gamble. Most draft observers were surprised by the selection of 6-1 Korean Jung Sun-Min with the eighth pick in the 2003 WNBA Draft. She was a big scorer in her league, but whether she can adjust to the physical WNBA play and contribute immediately remains to be seen. Coach Donovan told the Storm web site, "She's 6-1, she can play the four and the three, she's experienced, she knows all the best players in the world, she's very excited to come in and play with Sue and Lauren."

The dispersal draft brought Alisa Burras, the top shooter in the WNBA last season at 62.9%, from nearby Portland. Burras is a strong inside player who plays with her back to the basket.

Second round pick Suzy Batkovic most likely won't make it to Seattle until late in the season and will not be counted on to make an impact this year.

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