The Washington Mystics added Jade Melbourne to the roster in 2023 as part of a trade that gave the Seattle Storm the team's third-round draft pick. Now that the Storm has selected Jordan Hobbs at that spot, the full scope of the deal has been realized.
Melbourne is an Australian who was selected in the third round of the 2022 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm. Melbourne sat out her first season after an agreement was struck between herself, her agent, and the team. She signed her rookie contract with the team the following February and was the youngest player in the league that season. Melbourne has also played for the Canberra Capitals of the WNBL since 2021 and she averaged 16.3 points, 7.6 assists, and 5.1 rebounds in the 2023-24 season.
The trade came as something of a surprise to Melbourne at the time. In an interview with ESPN, Melbourn explained she was working out at the Storm's gym when the team's GM and Associate GM called her into the office to break the news. Melbourne packed up everything she had in Seattle and was on a flight to Washington the next day.
"I always understood the WNBA was a business and now I've seen it for myself," she told ESPN. "It was nothing I did, it maybe wasn't ultimately what Seattle wanted to do but the whole business side of things with salary caps - it's amazing how things can change. It's been hectic and I don't wish it upon anyone to be honest."
The Seattle Storm drafted Serena Sundell and Jordan Hobbs in the third round
The Storm ultimately entered the 2025 WNBA Draft with three selections this year, all in the third round at No. 26, No. 29, and No. 34. The trade that saw Melbourne depart to Washington gave the team its final pick in the draft.
Seattle Storm's No. 26 pick: Serena Sundell (Kansas State)
Sundell is a 6'2" guard and the all-time assists leader for Kansas State, and is also a 2x First-Team All-Big 12 select (2024 & 2025) and an AP All-American Honorable Mention (2025). This season she averaged 14.1 points and 7.3 assists per game, all while shooting 50.1% from the field.
Seattle Storm's No. 29 pick: Madison Conner (TCU)
Conner joins the Storm fresh off an Elite 8 run with the Horned Frogs. She averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists for TCU this season and was a key part of the team's attack during the tournament. The 5'11" guard was also the NCAA leader for three-pointers with 128 in the 2024-2025 season and holds TCU's single-season record for most three-pointers (128) and was selected to the 2025 All-Big 12 First Team.
Seattle Storm's No. 34 pick: Jordan Hobbs (University of Michigan)
As a 6'3" forward from Michigan, Hobbs started each game this season and regularly scored in the double digits. She averaged 31.1 minutes, 13.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game this season and snagged both Academic All-Big Ten honors and an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.