WNBA: Who might the Seattle Storm select with the No. 2 pick?

League forecasts didn’t predict the Seattle Storm to have an exciting offseason.

Outside of a few expiring contracts, the franchise seemed comfortable cruising through mediocrity and didn’t seem to have any drastic decisions to make. However, a December investigation into workplace policy violations turned skies cloudy. Although the Storm announced that the investigation effort found no evidence of “discrimination, harassment, or bullying,” star guard and two-time WNBA champion Jewell Loyd requested a trade from the organization.

Tied to a blockbuster that sent Kelsey Plum from the Las Vegas Aces to the Los Angeles Sparks, Seattle dealt Loyd to Las Vegas in exchange for Sparks center Li Yueru and the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. The departure of Loyd, who was the first overall pick by the Storm in 2015, will undoubtedly leave a sour taste in the mouth of fans, but excitement for April’s draft is sweet.

Drafting the future

The most important decision that Seattle will make this offseason will come in April.

Affording ourselves the assumption that Paige Bueckers will be off the board, Seattle has first dibs on a selection of phenomenal prospects with the No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft. Notre Dame’s flashy playmaker Olivia Miles, USC’s premier post player Kiki Iriafen and ASVEL’s freakishly athletic big Dominique Malonga all stand out as more-than-qualified candidates.

The looming question that general manager Talisa Rhea must answer, however, is whether one of these players can develop into a cornerstone talent for the future of the franchise. Of the players featured at picks two through six in most mock drafts, few are the sole backbone of their teams. Miles and Sonia Citron have taken a backseat to Hannah Hidalgo at Notre, Iriafen to JuJu Watkins at USC, Aneesah Morrow to Flau’jae Johnson at LSU. Malonga is the only prospect who leads her respective team in scoring, but it’s unclear whether that’s a testament to the unbelievable maturity of the 19-year-old French professional or to Ligue Féminine de Basketball’s lack of talent compared to the NCAA.

Seattle will inherit an amazing talent no matter who they pick. Whether they can build around said talent in pursuit of a championship is questionable.

Organizing the present

Normally, I wouldn’t waste time pondering the professional championship capabilities of college athletes, but it holds relevance to the Storm. Loyd’s farewell has effectively stripped Seattle of a clear scoring hierarchy, something that feels necessary to winning basketball games. Offense by committee is admirable, but rarely realistic.

Outside of Loyd, Seattle is returning their core. They re-signed unrestricted free agents Nneka Ogwumike and Gabby Williams, the latter of whom has been outspoken about her love for the franchise and city. Skylar Diggins-Smith is still under contract for another year. The Storm recently signed Alysha Clark and Erica Wheeler, in addition to trading for Lexie Brown. None of the three veteran guards will feature as ball-dominant offensive options, but each has a commitment to a role—something that should never be taken for granted.

Until the draft, the most interesting new face in Seattle (and certainly the youngest) is Li Yueru. Yueru was drafted by the Atlanta Dream in 2019, but didn’t debut in the WNBA until a brief stint with the Chicago Sky in 2022. She wasn’t signed in 2023, meaning that she only played 16 games in five years after being drafted. However, she finally found a home in Los Angeles last season, appearing in 38 contests for nearly 15 minutes a night. She showed flashes of production last season, but her reputation as a desirable center (and her ability to keep seeing opportunities in the W) is thanks to international production. She was the seventh-best scorer and top rebounder in the Paris Olympics, putting up 17.7 points and 11 rebounds per game for China. Her 6-foot-7 and 220-pound frame is impressive, and she actually showed a willingness to shoot the 3 in her time under former Sparks head coach Curt Miller. Yueru is a project, but at 25 years old, she’s one that’s worth investing in.