Katie Lue Samuelson is headed to the Seattle Storm, Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press reported on Thursday. It’s the most recent transfer in a busy WNBA free company, and one which appears to profit each the veteran ahead and a Seattle group seeking to contend subsequent season.
Samuelson, a 27-year-old wing, most not too long ago performed for the Indiana Fever. However, recent off of maternity depart, she noticed a diminished function final season — averaging the bottom minutes (18.2) and discipline aim share (34.9%) since her rookie. Samuelson signed a two-year, $355,000 take care of the Fever forward of final season, and Indiana agreed to a buy-out earlier this month.
If Samuelson had been to return, she probably would have seen an much more diminished function subsequent yr. The Fever have a myriad of starting-level guards/wings on subsequent yr’s roster, a listing that features Caitlin Clark, DeWanna Bonner, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Sophie Cunningham. Clark, Bonner, and Mitchell are all All-Stars, whereas Hull and Cunningham had been two of the league’s elite function gamers.
What Katie Lue Samuelson brings to the Storm
Samuelson turns into the second Fever participant from final yr’s roster to hitch Seattle, with guard Erica Wheeler being the opposite. Immediately, she ought to have the ability to present the Storm with one other prolonged shooter; in her four-year profession on the College of Connecticut, Samuelson averaged 16.7 factors per sport and shot 41.5% from the sphere.
However, her collegiate success hasn’t but completely translated to her 5-year WNBA profession, Samuelson has averaged 5.9 factors in 20.1 minutes per sport. She’s shot 38.9% from the sphere and 33.6% from three. She’s loved stints with 5 groups: the Chicago Sky (2019), Dallas Wings (2020), Seattle Storm (2021) Los Angeles Sparks (2022), and Fever (2024). Her return to Seattle marks the primary time she’ll be returning to a WNBA group for a second season.
Presently, Samuelson is taking part in in Unrivaled, the place she’s averaged 6.6 factors in 9.5 minutes per sport for the Phantom.
This offseason, the Storm re-signed Nneka Ogumwike and Gabby Williams, in strikes that indicated they’re content material with largely operating it again with final yr’s core. Ezi Magbegor and Skylar Diggins-Smith had been already beneath contract heading into subsequent season, Seattle acquired the No. 2 decide and Li Yueru for Jewell Loyd, who requested a commerce.
Seattle has additionally reshaped their bench of late, buying and selling for Sparks guard Lexie Brown and signing former Sixth Participant of the Yr Alysha Clark in free company. They misplaced each Jordan Horston and Nika Muhl to ACL tears, and thus will profit from a participant like Samuelson who can present extra depth.
Samuelson’s signing might finally profit each events. She joins a company that might use her capturing and sure wants her capturing off the bench. And, whereas Seattle was swept by the Aces within the first spherical of the playoffs final yr after ending with the WNBA’s fifth seed, the Storm are a win-now crew that might contend for a championship if all of the items come collectively. They had been additionally one of many first organizations within the league to have their very own state-of-the-art apply facility.
