JUNE 7
The WNBA selects four expansion teams to begin play in the 2000 season. Seattle is one of four teams chosen, along with Indiana, Miami and Portland, bringing the league to 16 teams.
"This is a time to celebrate." - Seattle Mayor Paul Schell

JUNE 17
Full House Sports & Entertainment names Karen Bryant as the senior director of WNBA operations. Bryant, a native of Edmonds who played basketball for the University of Washington, was the former general manager of the Seattle Reign of the American Basketball League.
"Her understanding of women's professional basketball in the Seattle community is unparalleled." - Full House Sports & Entertainment President John Dresel

JULY 22
Full House Sports & Entertainment hires Lin Dunn, former Purdue University and Portland Power (ABL) head coach, as the new WNBA team's GM and head coach.
"We made a commitment to bring a top national coach to Seattle and we certainly have that with Lin." - Ginger Ackerley, Full House Sports & Entertainment

SEPTEMBER 30
Dunn and Bryant dribble a WNBA basketball 5.5 miles through downtown Seattle to increase awareness of the drive for 5,500 ticket pledges.

OCTOBER 22
The WNBA officially announces that Seattle, Indiana, Miami and Portland have secured their franchises. The league required each franchise to secure 5,500 deposits for season tickets. The Storm received 7,200 pledges.

Campbell

2000

JANUARY 6
The Seattle WNBA franchise announces it will be called the Storm.
"It's the perfect name because of the weather here and what the team plans to do in the league." - Bryant

JANUARY 19
Before more than 2,000 season-ticket holders at KeyArena, the Storm unveils the team's logo.

MAY 31
The Storm plays its first-ever game, falling 76-60 to the Monarchs in Sacramento. Rookie Katrina Hibbert scores the first basket in franchise history.

JUNE 1
For the first time, the Storm plays at KeyArena, hosting the three-time defending WNBA champion Houston Comets. The Storm falls 77-47, but 10,840 fans pack KeyArena.

JUNE 9
After starting the season 0-4, the Storm earns the first win in franchise history at Charlotte, beating the Sting 67-62.
"You can print this: the headline in The Seattle Times tomorrow is going to be `Storm gets first win.' Trust me." - Smith prior to the game

JUNE 13
The Storm wins at home for the first time, handing the Los Angeles Sparks a 69-59 overtime defeat - one of just four games the Sparks will lose during the entire regular season.
"This is big. Big, big, big." - Dunn

2001

MARCH 30
The sale of the Sonics & Storm from The Ackerley Group to The Basketball Club of Seattle is approved. Howard Schultz becomes Chairman of the Sonics & Storm, while Wally Walker takes over as President and CEO.

APRIL 20
Having secured the first overall pick by virtue of finishing a league-worst 6-26 in 2000, the Storm makes Australian post Lauren Jackson the top pick of the 2001 WNBA Draft. Jackson is joining the WNBA after leading the Australian National Team to a silver medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
"If she didn't select Jackson I think we would have stormed into that war room and done something. We all wanted her and are really excited to have her." - Smith

JULY 16
Jackson becomes the Storm's first-ever All-Star representative, scoing 11 points and recording three steals as the Western Conference beats the East 80-72 at the TD Waterhouse Centre in Orlando.

NOVEMBER 13
The Storm wins the WNBA's inaugural draft lottery, securing the chance to make the top overall pick for the second straight year.

2002

APRIL 19
UConn guard Sue Bird is the Storm's No. 1 draft choice coming off of a senior season that saw her win the Associated Press and Naismith Player of the Year awards and lead the Huskies to the second of her two NCAA Championships.
"Our team got better when we started thinking about selecting Sue Bird." - Dunn

AUGUST 9
Facing playoff elimination with a loss, the Storm defeats the rival Portland Fire 83-74 in front of a record crowd of 12,327 at KeyArena behind a franchise-record 33 points from Bird.
"Sue makes all the difference for this team. She's been unbelievable this season." - Jackson

AUGUST 11
Getting 27 points and a franchise-record eight blocks from Jackson, the Storm beat Utah 74-57 at KeyArena to secure the first playoff berth in franchise history.

AUGUST 15
The Storm hosts the first playoff game in franchise history, falling 78-61 to Los Angeles in front of a sellout crowd at KeyArena. The Sparks go on to sweep the series 2-0.

SEPTEMBER 3
After three seasons at the helm, Lin Dunn announced her resignation as Storm head coach and general manager.

DECEMBER 18
The Storm introduces Anne Donovan, a legendary player who had coached the Charlotte Sting to the 2001 WNBA Finals, as the second head coach in franchise history. Donovan arrives in Seattle having led the Sting to consecutive playoff berths in her two years in Charlotte.
"It was important for us to have a coach that had head-coaching experience. It really wasn't the name; it was the right fit. Anne just happens to be the right fit that is a big name." - McKinney

2003

JULY 31
Jackson pulls down a career-high and franchise-record 20 rebounds, adding 23 points to become the fourth player in WNBA history to record a 20/20 game as the Storm defeats Charlotte 69-54 at KeyArena.

AUGUST 6
The Storm hands the rival Sparks to worst loss in their franchise history by a 92-56 final at the Key. Jackson scores a franchise-record and career-high 34 points and sets a WNBA record by making 17 field goals.
"She was awesome tonight, right from the get-go. She did it all for us. There's not much more to say." - Bird

SEPTEMBER 14
Jackson is named the WNBA's MVP after leading the league in scoring at 21.2 ppg. She becomes the first Storm player and first international player to earn MVP honors.
"Lauren winning MVP brings a lot to Seattle and the Storm organization. It's amazing that she is only 22 years old and has already accomplished so much." - Donovan

2004

JUNE 19
The Storm's 74-61 win at San Antonio is the team's sixth straight, the longest streak in franchise history, including four consecutive road wins.
"We are playing together really well right now and when you let a team get rolling and get confidence, things just get better and better." - Bird

SEPTEMBER 27
Despite losing Bird to a broken nose early in the game, the Storm defeats Minnesota 64-54 at KeyArena to sweep the best-of-three series and advance to the Western Conference Finals.

OCTOBER 5
The Storm uses a 20-0 second-half run to beat Sacramento 82-62 in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals and win its first Western Conference Championship. Jackson scores 27 points and Bird sets a WNBA Playoffs record by handing out 14 assists.
"It's tremendous to be going to the Finals. Who would have thought when Lauren got drafted and when I got drafted that only two years later we would be sitting here right now?" - Bird

OCTOBER 12
Playing in front of a sold-out KeyArena for the second straight game, the Storm beats Connecticut 74-60 to win the WNBA Finals two games to win and bring the WNBA championship to Seattle. The Storm is Seattle's first major pro sports champions since the 1979 SuperSonics. Betty Lennox is named Finals MVP, having averaged 22.3 points over the three games.
"The home court made the difference tonight for them." - Connecticut Head Coach Mike Thibault

OCTOBER 15
The Storm celebrates the championship with a rally at Westlake Center in front of thousands of fans. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels declares it "Seattle Storm Day" in the city.
"Thank you so much for your support, day in and day out. Our fans are great. I can't even express how important they are to us." - Jackson

2005

MAY 21
The Storm opens the season on ABC against the Los Angeles Sparks, losing 68-50. Before the game, WNBA President Donna Orender hands out championship rings to players and coaches.

JULY 9
The Storm is represented in the WNBA All-Star Game at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut by starters Bird and Jackson (voted to start for the first time) and Head Coach Donovan along with the remainder of her coaching staff. The West sets an All-Star scoring record in a 122-99 victory.

AUGUST 18
The Storm's 76-60 win over Minnesota is the 100th of Donovan's WNBA career, making her the first female and fourth head coach to reach the mark.
"It's important for coaches like Anne blazing the way. She won the first title (for a woman), she's got to 100 first, hopefully she can continue to do that." - Bird

SEPTEMBER 3
Sheryl Swoopes notches the first playoff triple-double in WNBA history as the Houston Comets defeat the Storm 75-58 to rally from a 1-0 deficit and win their first-round series with the Storm.

2006

MAY 19
The Storm announces the retirement of center Simone Edwards, the last remaining player from the Storm's inaugural 2000 season. Edwards retires as the franchise's leader in games played, third in rebounds and fourth in points.
"Simone will be forever remembered with tremendous fondness by the many whose lives she has touched." - Donovan

AUGUST 8
Jackson's late score seals an 81-79 Storm victory in Detroit and clinches a playoff berth. The win is the Storm's franchise-record ninth of the season on the road.

AUGUST 18
The Storm defeats Los Angeles 84-72 in the first game of their best-of-three playoff series at KeyArena, getting 22 points and nine boards from Jackson. However, the Sparks would win the next two games at home and the series.

OCTOBER 31
The Professional Basketball Club, LLC takes over ownership of the Sonics & Storm after the sale of the team by The Basketball Club of Seattle is approved. Clay Bennett assumes the role of Chairman.

2007

MAY 19
On Opening Night at KeyArena, the Storm rallies from a 22-point second-half deficit to finish the game on a 44-9 run and defeat the Houston Comets 82-69.
"It was the power of not giving up and the power of KeyArena. The fans really kicked it up in the second half and got us over the hump." - Donovan

JULY 24
Jackson makes WNBA history in a 97-96 overtime loss at Washington, tying the single-game record with 47 points and breaking the record she shared with two others by making 18 field goals. Jackson scores 23 of the Storm's 27 points in one stretch, helping the team rally and forcing OT with two late free throws.
""She showed why she's the MVP of the league." - Donovan

JULY 27
During an 89-75 win over the Indiana Fever at KeyArena, Jackson becomes the fifth player in WNBA history to score 4,000 career points. She is the youngest player to reach the milestone and the fastest to the mark.

AUGUST 26
Despite a furious Storm fourth-quarter comeback, the Mercury wins Game 2 95-89 to sweep the teams' first-round series. Phoenix goes on to win the WNBA championship.

SEPTEMBER 5
Jackson wins her second MVP award after leading the WNBA in scoring and rebounding and finishing second in blocks per game. She had earlier earned Defensive Player of the Year honors for the first time.

NOVEMBER 30
Donovan announces her resignation after five seasons as Storm head coach, four of which ended in the postseason.
"She will be missed. I have a tremendous amount of respect for her and wish her nothing but the best in the future." - Bryant

2008

JANUARY 8
WNBA President Donna Orender announces that an ownership group made up of local businesswomen has secured an option to purchase the Storm from The Professional Basketball Club, LLC. Anne Levinson, Ginny Gilder, Lisa Brummel and Dawn Trudeau make up the newly-formed Force 10 Hoops, L.L.C.
"We are pleased to be able to step forward to ensure that Seattle will be the Storm's home. This is something we wanted to be able to do for Storm fans and the community." - Levinson

JANUARY 9
Brian Agler is introduced as the third head coach in Storm franchise history.

FEBRUARY 19
The Storm acquires two-time WNBA champion and two-time WNBA All Star Swin Cash, from the Detroit Shock. Two more veteran players - three-time MVP Sheryl Swoopes, formerly of the Houston Comets, and 1999 league MVP Yolanda Griffith of the Sacramento Monarchs - join the team in March and April, respectively.

MAY 17
The Storm wins its home opener 67-61 over the Chicago Sky, coming back from a nine-point deficit shortly after halftime. At game's end, players pull the members of Force 10 Hoops into their postgame huddle, celebrating their first win as owners.

JULY 18
A 65-59 win over Indiana caps a franchise-record seven-game winning streak, including impressive double-figure victories during six of those seven games.

SEPTEMBER 12
The Storm defeats Atlanta 77-72 for its franchise-record 22nd win of the season. The Storm finishes 16-1 at KeyArena to tie a WNBA record for the most home wins.

SEPTEMBER 23
Playing without injured Lauren Jackson, the Storm falls 71-64 to the Los Angeles Sparks in the deciding third game of their first-round playoff series.

2009

FEBRUARY 2
The Seattle City Council unanimously approves a long-term lease with the Seattle Storm that will keep KeyArena as the Storm's home for the next decade.

MAY 3
Two-time WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson re-signs with the team for the 2009 season.
"It came down basically to me loving it in Seattle. I've said for a long time it's my home there in America. I couldn't bear to leave." - Jackson