The Minnesota Lynx suffered the team's first loss of the season Wednesday night after going down 94-84 to the Seattle Storm, whose win was delivered in large part by the extraordinary efforts of veteran guard Erica Wheeler.
The combined prowess displayed by the Storm's starting five was spectacular to behold, and the team quickly reminded the rest of the league that they came into the 2025 season ready to win it all. Wheeler and Nneka Ogwumike combined for 41 points, with the former hitting 20 points and nine assists and the latter 21 points and 10 rebounds.
The Storm also gave a masterclass in interior domination, hitting an additional 18 points in the paint. And though Lynx legend Napheesa Collier — who is being touted as a frontrunner for this year's MVP award — did her best with 25 points and nine rebounds, that effort alone was not enough to distract from the fact that Seattle out-rebounded Minnesota 34-26.
Emotions were high in Seattle
The game was marked by a tension from the start that came to a head late in the third quarter, when the Storm came back from an 11-point deficit and Ogwumike let out a scream that resounded through the arena. Wheeler's elite three-pointer ahead of the final buzzer sealed the deal; with this victory, the Storm reasserted themselves as a team to be reckoned with.
Wheeler, who was in tears at the game's conclusion, told reporters, "The emotions for me at the end was more so just me getting back to who I am (and) being on a team that appreciates everything that I do and a coach actually believing in me and allowing me to just be me unapologetically."
The Storm have a strong Western Conference record
Ogwumike and Wheeler were aided by Skyler Diggins, who added 18 points and six rebounds; Gabby Williams, who had 12 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists; and Ezi Macbegor, who added 13 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks. Rookie Dominique Malonga, who has had a slower start to the season than many expected, also contributed eight points.
With this win, the Storm are 3-1 and lead the Western Conference in the Commissioner's Cup. The team will need to win their final two tournament games to head to the Cup Championship Game. The team will next face the Golden State Valkyries for the first time.
With the Lynx's defeat, defending league champions the New York Liberty are now the only undefeated team in the WNBA. The Liberty will play the Indiana Fever Saturday, and then will host the Atlanta Dream and the Phoenix Mercury on June 17 and June 19, respectively.