A second consecutive first-round exit brought up a lot of questions for the Storm. Who would coach the team now that Noelle Quinn was out? Which of the team’s four All-Stars would return in free agency? Where does the team go from here? The first question has been answered. Liberty assistant coach Sonia Raman has reportedly agreed to a multi-year contract to replace Noelle Quinn as the Storm’s head coach.
Raman has a lot of coaching experience. She spent 12 years as the head coach at MIT before moving on to the NBA. Raman worked as an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies between 2020 and 2024. Ahead of this season, she joined the Liberty’s coaching staff as an assistant. The 51-year-old was widely regarded as one of the most head-coaching-ready assistants in the W and undoubtedly deserves a shot at a bigger role.
However, the decision doesn’t answer any of the other questions facing the Storm. The biggest question is: will the team’s All-Stars want to play for a first-year head coach, who might not be able to lead the team to much playoff success early on? Or are they so comfortable in Seattle that they are willing to gamble on an impressive transition from Raman?
The Storm’s future is still uncertain
The one thing the Storm know for certain is that they have Dominique Malonga, a generational talent, under contract through the 2027 season. However, Malonga is currently locked in a legal dispute with the Turkish club Fenerbahce that could delay her return to the WNBA. Even without that complication, Malonga’s presence brings up some questions. Does the team continue to compete and incorporate Malonga into a veteran roster or should they rebuild around her?
This all comes back to the question of whether the Storm’s All-Stars will want to return in free agency. Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, and Gabby Williams seemed comfortable in Seattle for the last few seasons, but the team’s lack of success could cause them to look for a new team in free agency. After all, hiring a first-year head coach doesn’t usually promise championship contention.
If they decide to re-sign with the Storm, Raman will face significant pressure in her first season as a head coach. After all, a team with three All-Stars should be able to find playoff success. If the Storm have to start over, Raman will get a chance to coach one of the most exciting young players in the game and lead in a new era of Storm basketball. The Storm also have a lottery pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, which they acquired from the Sparks in exchange for Kia Nurse and the fourth overall pick in the 2024 draft.
With Malonga on the roster and another lottery pick coming in, the Storm’s future looks promising, even if they lose top talent in free agency. Hiring Raman may not guarantee that the Storm’s All-Stars will be back, but it offers a blank slate and a fresh approach in case the team has to retool around its young talent while also bringing in a new talent with the potential to lead a winning team quickly.