Jewell Loyd could potentially be wearing a different WNBA jersey for the first time in her career.
The 31-year-old guard recently requested a trade from the Seattle Storm, as reported by multiple sources. The initial report came from the Chicago Sun-Times.
Loyd’s trade request came after an external investigation into alleged harassment and bullying by the Storm’s coaching staff was cleared. Noelle Quinn has been the head coach of the Storm since 2021.
According to ESPN, Loyd was the player who initiated the complaint that led to the investigation. Quinn was also Loyd’s teammate from 2016 to 2018.
“The Storm received internal allegations of potential violations of workplace policy,” Seattle stated in a message to ESPN. “An external investigator was brought in to conduct an impartial investigation into the claims. The investigation has been completed, and no policy violations, discrimination, harassment, or bullying were found.
“To safeguard the integrity of the process and maintain confidentiality, we chose not to comment while the investigation was ongoing. The Storm is committed to providing a respectful work environment for all individuals.”
In the previous season, Quinn’s coaching staff included Ebony Hoffman, Pokey Chatman, and Perry Huang as assistants.
Loyd, a six-time All-Star, played a vital role in Seattle’s WNBA championship wins in 2018 and 2020. The former Rookie of the Year in 2015 has earned All-Star selections multiple times and was a leading scorer in the league in 2023 with an average of 24.7 points per game.
Aside from her WNBA accolades, Loyd is a two-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA.
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