2010 Storm Timeline
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2010 Storm Season RecapAs the last days of 2010 pass and we prepare to turn the calendar, stormbasketball.com looks back at the key dates during a memorable year for the Seattle Storm.
February
STORM SIGNS LE'COE WILLINGHAM
The Storm's big splash in free agency was signing Willingham, a starter for the WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury in 2009. The addition of Willingham added depth to the Storm's bench and provided toughness in the paint.
March
LAUREN JACKSON RE-SIGNS IN SEATTLE
The Storm star pledged at the end of the 2009 season that she would re-sign with the team as a restricted free agent, but it was still an important milestone when she put pen to paper just after winning a WNBL title with the Canberra Capitals. Jackson signed a new multi-year contract to begin with her 10th season in the WNBA and with the Storm.
April
2010 WNBA DRAFT
Picking 10th overall, the Storm selected Iowa State guard Alison Lacey, strengthening its backcourt. The Storm also drafted Tanisha Smith from Texas A&M, who did not make the roster, in the second round and Hungarian post Tijana Krivacevic in the third round. The Storm retains the rights to Krivacevic, who is playing in Europe.
Ashley Robinson and Swin Cash model the new Storm jerseys. (Aaron Last/Storm Photos)
STORM ANNOUNCES MARQUEE PARTNERSHIP WITH BING
The Storm became the third WNBA team to announce a marquee partnership, teaming with Bing in a deal that put the Microsoft decision engine on the team's jerseys and made Bing the presenting sponsor of the Jr. Storm program. "It's a real indicator of the health of the business, a real reflection of Microsoft's commitment to our community and the beginning of what I know will be a long and very productive partnership," said Storm CEO Karen Bryant.
STORM SIGNS SVETLANA ABROSIMOVA
The last addition to the Storm's roster would prove a crucial one. Veteran wing Abrosimova, who returned to the WNBA after sitting out the 2009 season, emerged as the Storm's sixth woman and a difference-maker with her energy and skill off the bench.
STORM OPENS TRAINING CAMP IN NEW HOME
After a decade at The Furtado Center, the Storm moved into new digs at the Royal Brougham Pavilion on the Seattle Pacific University campus in time for the start of 2010 training camp..
May
Lauren Jackson defends Candace Parker. (Aaron Last/Storm Photos)
STORM STOPS SPARKS IN SEASON OPENER
Hosting the rival Los Angeles Sparks on Opening Night, the Storm pulled out an 81-67 victory by outscoring the Sparks 24-9 in the final period. Stifling Storm defense held L.A. to 36.8 percent shooting.
STORM WORKS OT TO TOP PHOENIX
Despite losing an 11-point lead in the closing minutes of regulation, the Storm rallied to knock off the defending champion Mercury by a 95-89 final at the US Airways Center behind 25 points from Lauren Jackson.
JACKSON WINS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jackson was rewarded for her role in the Storm's 3-0 start with Western Conference Player of the Week honors. That would become habit for Jackson, who won five of them during the season - tying the record she previously set in 2007.
June
STORM WINS FINALS PREVIEW
In an anticipated matchup between the early leaders in their respective conferences, the Storm handed the Atlanta Dream its first loss of 2010 by a lopsided margin, winning 90-72 at KeyArena.
Jackson and Parker tip off the Sunset Showdown. (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images)
STORM GOES OUTDOORS TO WIN
The "Sunset Showdown" pitted the Storm and the Sparks in just the second outdoor game in WNBA history, played at the Home Depot Tennis Center. The Storm earned the 79-75 victory, getting 22 points and key scores down the stretch from Sue Bird.
STORM STARTS WINNING STREAK AT THE GARDEN
Having suffered the season's second loss the night before in Indiana, the Storm rode a huge fourth-quarter effort from Bird to defeat the New York Liberty 92-84. The Storm would not taste defeat again for nearly a month and a half.
July
Bird works with youngsters at a Jr. Storm clinic presented by Bing. (Aaron Last/Storm Photos)
BIRD WINS COMMUNITY ASSIST AWARD
On the strength of her work in the Seattle area, Bird was named the WNBA Cares Community Assist Award winner for the month of June.
Swin Cash skies to grab a rebound in the Stars at the Sun. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images)
BIRD, CASH TOP COACH IN STARS AT THE SUN
The WNBA's midseason classic pitted the U.S. National Team (featuring Storm stars Bird and Swin Cash) against a team of WNBA stars helmed by Storm Head Coach Brian Agler. (Jackson was voted to the WNBA team, but was unable to play due to a concussion.) Bird and Cash led the USA to victory in a preview of the team's undefeated run to the FIBA World Championship in September.
STORM OUTLASTS MERCURY
In the team's first game back from the break, the Storm played a marathon three-overtime game in Phoenix. Both teams had multiple chances to win, but the Storm eventually came out on top by a 111-107 final behind a Bird triple with 5.4 seconds left in the third OT.
STORM RALLIES TO TOP PHOENIX
The Storm made comebacks a habit during the 2010 season, but none involved a bigger deficit than the 18-point halftime lead the Mercury built up at KeyArena on July 27. Playing in front of an ESPN2 audience, the Storm outscored Phoenix 53-29 after the break to extend its winning streak to 12 games and clinch the top spot in the Western Conference with 11 games left to play.
August
WINNING STREAK SNAPPED IN MINNESOTA
After going undefeated for the entire month of July, the Storm finally saw its 13-game winning streak come to an end at the Target Center when Bird's game-winning attempt at the buzzer rimmed out. The streak was still the longest in franchise history and in the WNBA since 2001.
RECORD-SETTING ROMP OVER SHOCK
Days after losing to the Shock in Tulsa, the Storm had a chance to even the score at home. The result was the biggest margin of victory in WNBA history - 46 points - as the Storm defeated Tulsa 111-65. The Storm also tied the franchise scoring record and set a league record with 57 rebounds.
The Storm celebrates the season-ending win over L.A. (Aaron Last/Storm Photos)
STORM FINISHES REGULAR SEASON UNBEATEN AT HOME
While the Storm had long since clinched the league's best record, there was still something on the line when Los Angeles returned to the Key to bookend the regular season. With a tense 76-75 victory, the Storm tied the WNBA record for regular-season wins (28) and finished the regular season unbeaten at home (17-0). The Storm would go on to become the first team in league history to stay perfect at home during both the regular season and playoffs.
STORM SWEEPS SPARKS, ADVANCES
Playing the Sparks for the third consecutive season in the first round of the playoffs, the Storm was able to overcome the historic obstacle to its success. An 81-66 win at the Staples Center gave the Storm the sweep and allowed the team to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2004.
WRIGHT, JACKSON NAMED TO ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAMS
Storm guard Tanisha Wright was recognized for her defense when she was selected to the league's All-Defensive First Team for the second consecutive season. Jackson was named to the All-Defensive Second Team.
September
Lauren Jackson receives her MVP trophy. (Terrence Vaccaro/NBAE/Getty Images)
AWARDS FOR AGLER, JACKSON
Before the Storm hosted the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1of the Western Conference Finals, Agler and Jackson were presented with the highest honors available to a coach and player. Agler was named Coach of the Year for the first time (he previously won ABL Coach of the Year in 1996-97), while Jackson earned her third MVP award.
STORM COMEBACK WINS WESTERN CONFERENCE
Trailing by 12 with 3:21 left to play, the Storm appeared headed to a winner-take-all Game 3 with Phoenix. Storm players had other ideas, ripping off a 15-0 run that was capped by Bird's go-ahead three-pointer with 2.8 seconds remaining. When Diana Taurasi missed at the other end, the Storm was headed to the WNBA Finals as Western Conference champs.
The Storm flag flies above the Space Needle. (Rod Mar/Storm Photos)
STORM FLAG FLIES ATOP SPACE NEEDLE
In a fitting symbol of the way the Storm's run captured the attention of Seattle, players and coaches raised a Storm flag above the iconic Space Needle in advance of the start of the WNBA Finals.
BIRD JUMPER WINS GAME 1
For the second time in as many games, Bird came through with the winning score as the Storm took a 1-0 lead over the Atlanta Dream in the best-of-five WNBA Finals. After getting a screen from Jackson, Bird pulled up for a jumper with 2.6 remaining to untie the game.
JACKSON, BIRD HEADLINE ALL-WNBA TEAMS
For their role in the Storm's historic season, Jackson was named to the All-WNBA First Team and Bird to the All-WNBA Second Team. Jackson earned her seventh First Team selection, while Bird was picked to the Second Team for the second time in addition to four appearances on the First Team.
The Storm celebrates the 2010 WNBA championship. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images)
STORM WINS WNBA TITLE
All three games came down to the wire, but when Angel McCoughtry and Coco Miller missed tying three attempts in the final seconds, the Storm completed a sweep of the Dream to win the second championship in franchise history. The Storm became the first team to go undefeated in the playoffs since the Finals expanded to five games.
CHAMPIONSHIP PARADE/CELEBRATION
A day after winning the championship, the Storm returned home to celebrate with fans. Players rode from the Space Needle to KeyArena, where they participated in a celebration of the season complete with confetti falling from the rafters.
PRESIDENT OBAMA CONGRATULATES STORM
There was one last honor in store for the Storm the following week. U.S. President Barack Obama called the Storm office to personally congratulate CEO Karen Bryant, Chairperson Dawn Trudeau and Lisa Brummel from Force 10 Hoops LLC and Ashley Robinson.