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2015 Record:
10-24
5th in Western Conference

Key Offseason Moves:
Re-signed Sue Bird, Crystal Langhorne, Ramu Tokashiki, Alysha Clark, Jenna O’Hea and Quanitra Hollingsworth

Draft Picks:
R1, P1: Breanna Stewart, F, UConn
R3, P2: Lexi Eaton Rydalch, G, BYU

The Seattle Storm have endured a rough stretch, winning just 22 games in the last two seasons combined. But hope is on the horizon, and it comes in the forms of Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd.

It’s an impressive feat for an incoming rookie to immediately become her team’s most important player, and in the process overshadow last year’s Rookie of the Year. Then again, Stewart is no stranger to impressive feats. The No. 1 overall pick in last month’s WNBA Draft won an unprecedented four straight national championships at UConn, and comes in boasting possibly the most impressive resume in collegiate women’s basketball history. Already, enormous expectations are being heaped upon her 6-foot-4 frame.

Still, no matter the talent Stewart possesses, and she possesses plenty, there is still a significant leap from collegiate ball to the WNBA. As head coach Jenny Boucek told WNBA.com, “She’s got a steep learning curve. Every rookie does. One of the biggest things that they all have to go through is they get thrown into the fire quickly. They have to absorb an enormous amount of information in a very short period of time.”

Breanna Stewart brings the ball up the court during her first preseason game with the Storm.

With a potential superstar like Stewart, however, there is little doubt she will make a successful transition. “As she absorbs information and is able to think less, her instincts will start to come out, and you’ll start to see huge leaps in her performance at that time,” Boucek added. Exactly when Stewart will start to assert herself remains to be seen, of course, but you better believe that time is coming.

When it does, riding right along with her will be Loyd. Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Loyd led all rookies in scoring, averaging 10.7 points per game. More importantly, from the Storm’s perspective, however, was Loyd’s consistent improvement. Each month she raised her shooting percentage, points per game and assists per game, peaking in September, when she put up 13.6 points and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 48 percent from the field. The Storm, of course, would welcome a continuation of that trend this year.

In Stewart and Loyd, Seattle hopes to have found two cornerstones upon which they can build a championship contender. Which is exactly what they did a decade ago, when they famously took Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird No. 1 overall in back-to-back drafts. In fact, it didn’t take long at all, with the Storm winning the title in 2004, just two years after taking Bird in 2002. Can Stewart and Loyd follow in those giant footsteps? It won’t be easy, but a lot can change in two years, and given the skill sets these two possess, it wouldn’t be a shock if the Storm are contending sooner rather than later.

But back to the present. Alongside Stewart and Loyd are a number of other talented youngsters, including Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Ramu Tokashiki, each of whom is entering her second season.

The 6-3 Tokashiki had a very solid rookie campaign, averaging 8.2 points and 3.3 rebounds a night as she made the transition from Japan. Like Stewart dominated the NCAA, Tokashiki had her way in her homeland. Despite being just 23 when she made the transition to the States, Tokashiki left Japan a five-time Women’s Japanese Basketball League Champion, a two-time WJBL MVP, and a two-time FIBA Asia Championship MVP.

Moving forward, she could form a dynamic frontcourt duo with Stewart, especially with the way Stewart can space the floor and knock down shots from the perimeter. The talent is there, but the transition from a new country takes time. “It’s tough — she’s been a go-to scorer with the ball in her hands her whole life,” Boucek said. “So this year, it’s a big adjustment for her right now. We’re confident that we’ll get her settled, but it’s a big shift for everyone in that post position in our roster.”

Ramu Tokashiki has the potential to be one of the Storm’s key pieces as they continue their rebuild.

Yet while there is a wealth of youth on the roster, the Storm have some key veterans as well, including the aforementioned Bird, who is entering her 14th season running the show at point guard. Plus there is the always reliable Crystal Langhorne, who will continue to play an important role in the Storm’s frontcourt.

With so many young players, these veterans become even more important. “Sue and Lang are huge. Alysha Clark too. Jenna O’Hea, Abby Bishop. Our returning vets, they’re huge,” Boucek said. “We have a good core that’s returning that really, really, really understands what we’re trying to do, how, and why.

So what are the Storm trying to do this year? Well, surprise, surprise, it starts with defense. It was the first thing Boucek mentioned when asked about what the team needs to focus on for this season. Which makes sense, as the four Conference Finalists last year were all among the top five in defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions). The Storm finished eighth in the league last season defensively with a defensive rating of 101.9, a mark which definitely could be improved.

In addition, Boucek noted that the Storm have to “value possessions.” Last year just two teams turned the ball over more often than Seattle, as they coughed the ball up over 15 times a night last season. Playing at a pace of 74.6 (estimate of possessions per 40 minutes), that means the Storm turned the ball over on nearly 20 of their possessions — a major factor in the team scoring just 94.3 points per 100 possessions (11th in the league).

Stewart’s arrival alone should have a positive impact on these numbers almost immediately. With continued growth from Loyd, Tokashiki and Mosqueda-Lewis, along with the steady hands of Bird and Langhorne guiding the way, the Storm know their path forward. There will be bumps along the way, especially this year as the young players continue to gain valuable experience, but there is no doubt the future is bright in Seattle.