(Photo Credit- Nate Small of www.smallworld-206-Photography.merlin-site.com)
Coming off their biggest win of the young season to this point, the (5-15) Seattle Storm followed their big win against the Eastern Conference leaders with one of their most complete performances of the season by beating the (12-7) Atlanta Dream 105 – 90 in downtown Seattle to wrap up their three-game home stand.
As Pride Night was celebrated across the country, the Storm jumped out to a 12-0 start against the Atlanta Dream, propelled by three early three-pointers from Awa Fam. The Dream pulled within one point 34-35, late in the second quarter, when Melbourne fed Awa Fam for the fourth of her three pointers on the night. This led to an 11-1 run for the Storm, essentially putting the game out of reach.
Awa Fam’s blistering shooting aided in the Storm’s offensive explosion against the Dream. Fam registered a career‑high 21 points, on 8‑for‑9 shooting from the floor and 5‑for‑6 from deep. This efficiency placed her in rare company, as she became the first rookie — and just the third WNBA player ever — to score 15+ points on at least 65% shooting from both the field and three in three consecutive games.
“I feel comfortable with my teammates and with myself. I work every day, game by game,” Fam said about shooting 63% from three in her past seven games. “I’m really focused on my shot. I practice all the time. I feel comfortable, and if you give me space, I’m going to shoot.”
“Awa, like all our players, is taking what the defense gives her,” Storm’s coach Sonia Raman said. “If they play off her, she’ll shoot it. If she can get into the paint, she’ll get into the paint. She has a great touch. When we give her the right spacing and get her the ball in the right areas, she’s really effective. Her confidence, her teammates finding her, and recognizing when she has a hot hand are all part of it.”
The Storm’s historic efficiency and growing sense of resilience have defined their recent surge. This run has been a collective effort, as five players scored in double figures against the Dream, including 20+ points from Flau’jae Johnson, Natisha Hiedeman, and Fam, leading them to scoring 100 points for the second time in four games.
Johnson recorded her third double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds, which is the most of any rookie this season. Becoming the first rookie the season and the fastest rookie guard in Storm history to reach 100 career rebounds. Heideman finished with 20 points for the fifth time this season, marking the most 20+ point games in a season in her career.
“I don’t know what to say except we’re growing. We’re learning each other. It’s a process,” Fam said when asked if we’ve seen the worst of this Storm team. “We know what we did, but we also know what we can do. We have amazing players, teammates, staff, and coaches. It’s about practicing every day, being present, and focusing on what we need to do. It’s a process, and we just need to keep going.”
(Photo Credit- Nate Small of www.smallworld-206-Photography.merlin-site.com)
This unique collection of talent has remained close and supportive of each other, through an eleven-game losing streak when they could have easily begun to splinter and fight internally. However, these ladies have developed a bond and resilience that is evident on and off the court.
”Everyone’s playing for each other. Nobody cares about points or stats—we just want to see each other doing good. When Awa hit three three’s in a row, I said, “Get her the ball, don’t give it to me.” There’s no ego,” rookie and LSU graduate Flau’jae Johnson said about their connection. “We’re good friends and want to see each other succeed. Coach Sonia is really smart, putting us in positions to succeed. It’s a testament to the work we put in day in and day out. Growth isn’t linear—it goes up and down—but as long as we keep moving upward, we’ll be okay.”
The Storm’s bond will be tested once again when they travel to Phoenix to take on the Mercury on Thursday, July 2, 2026. The Atlanta Dream will travel to the nation’s capital to play the Mystics in the final game of their four-game road trip. These two teams will meet again in Atlanta on July 31, for the final time in the regular season. Feel free to share your thoughts on the Seattle Storm with me at https://x.com/whatsgoodnsport.
