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"I told her to think about it, obviously take advantage of the long holiday weekend - and I did the same," Bryant said Friday afternoon in a press conference at KeyArena, just feet away from where the Storm defeated the Connecticut Sun in the 2004 WNBA Finals. "We reignited conversations earlier this week in earnest. It was clear in that initial meeting and certainly became more clear over the course of the week that, simply put, she was ready for a change. At some level, the organization didn't feel it prudent to try to convince her otherwise - she felt very strongly that it was time for her to move on."
That decision wasn't something Bryant had seen coming.
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Donovan, who did not attend the press conference, said in a statement, "After five years and a great experience with the Storm, I have decided it's time for a change and a new direction in my career, an opportunity for me to explore new experiences."
Bryant shared that Donovan had assured her that neither any lingering uncertainty over the team's future in Seattle nor Donovan's commitment to USA Basketball - she is the head coach of the U.S. Senior Women's National Team which will play in next summer's Beijing Olympics - factored into her decision.
"She didn't elaborate much beyond saying that, after five great years here but some ups and downs, she was ready for a change," explained Bryant. "She feels like she has a lot of opportunity still in front of her and it was the right time to move on.
"To be honest, I didn't push her for a lot of specificity."
Around the globe, Storm players - most of them currently playing overseas - were in the process of getting the news Friday. Bryant e-mailed the players, but the complications of time zones and difficulty reaching players abroad limited her ability to make phone contact with them, something she hopes to accomplish over the course of the weekend. Bryant did reach Storm All-Stars 
Sue Bird and 
Lauren Jackson, playing together for Spartak Moscow in Russia. Bird and Jackson are the only two players who played for Donovan the entirety of her Seattle coaching tenure.
"They were both surprised," said Bryant, "as you might imagine they might be - they didn't expect this any more than I did. They assured me that they're anxious to move forward, especially Lauren. She has a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for what Anne Donovan has meant to her career - knows that Anne's guidance and coaching abilities have helped her become a two-time WNBA MVP. She's excited about embracing this opportunity, albeit unexpected, and anxious to come back to Seattle and get us back to winning ways."
Bryant's attention now turns to a search for Donovan's replacement, or replacements. While Donovan had previously had responsibility for both coaching and personnel decisions, Bryant is unsure whether those duties will continue to be shared by one person or split between a head coach and a separate general manager.
"At this point, we know we need somebody to fill both of those roles," Bryant said. "Whether we could find a candidate that equally meets the roles of criteria of a GM and a head coach remains to be seen. Obviously, the role of GM - particularly given where we are with our roster - is of paramount importance, particularly in the short term.
"We're going into it with an open mind in terms of what we're looking for and haven't made any decisions with regards to the structure of the organization."
The Storm enters the WNBA free agency period with a great deal of flexibility. Just four players - Jackson, forward 
Iziane Castro Marques and reserve guards 
Katie Gearlds and 
Tanisha Wright - are under contract for 2008, giving the Storm cap space to work with. That's one of many reasons Bryant is certain the Storm's head coaching job will be highly coveted.
"What I know, having been a part of the recruitment of both Lin Dunn and Anne Donovan, is Seattle is a very desirable job," Bryant said. "This is obviously a beautiful city. The caliber of the players we have here, certainly namely Lauren Jackson; and the tradition we have, certainly now that includes a WNBA championship. And I think, more than that, the opportunity to build around players like Lauren and Izi and Katie and T but also having the flexibility to come in and immediately put your mark on the franchise with the free agency (flexibility) that we have. I think that this is going to be a very desirable job and I suspect the candidate pool will be high caliber."
Bryant said the search will take place, "As quickly as we can, but while being diligent and thorough." Professional Basketball Club, LLC Chairman Clayton Bennett has asked Bryant to spearhead the search, while keeping Bennett - who will have the ultimate say - and President and CEO Danny Barth involved as well. The Storm's key players will certainly have input as well.
"I assured (Bird and Jackson) I would keep them apprised of what the status is," said Bryant, who joked, "I'm sure they will offer their input, whether solicited or not."
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"A championship, in a word," Bryant said, asked what Donovan brought to the Storm. "Her ability to bring a group of veteran and young players alike together to achieve the pinnacle - that's what you're in this business to do, is to win titles. For her to do that very quickly in her tenure here is an amazing accomplishment and obviously will be what her legacy will always be in Seattle.
"I think, in addition to that, what she has done to help develop Lauren Jackson as a player. Certainly, Lauren is a talent in her own right and, more than anybody, deserves the credit for what she has accomplished, but there's no question that Anne Donovan has been a part of her development.
"Anne is an ambassador for the game, for the league. She's an icon. I thoroughly enjoyed spending five years with her building this organization on and off the court. She will be missed. I have a tremendous amount of respect for her and wish her nothing but the best in the future."
Donovan Resigns as Storm Head Coach
Storm Q&A: Karen Bryant
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