For the second year in a row, the Storm will get to benefit from the Sparks’ struggles. In 2025, the Storm landed the Sparks’ number-two pick in the trade that sent Jewell Loyd to Las Vegas and Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles. This time around, the Storm own the Sparks’ lottery pick due to a 2024 trade that sent Kia Nurse and the pick that turned into Rickea Jackson to Los Angeles. The Storm will get to pick third in the 2026 draft behind the Wings and Lynx.
So far, the draft is still very unpredictable. Both Dallas and Minnesota could go in several different directions with their picks and ruin the Storm’s plans. Drafting Olivia Miles would be the perfect outcome for the Storm. It would give them a traditional point guard to develop alongside Dominique Malonga and a great playmaker to help Skylar Diggins with the playmaking responsibilities—given that she re-signs in free agency.
Miles isn’t the only player in the draft who would address an immediate need for the Storm, though. Azzi Fudd and her 3-point shooting could also address a serious issue for the Storm.
Seattle needs 3-point shooting
The Storm finished the regular season with two players shooting around 40% from three. Tiffany Mitchell shot 41.2% on 0.7 attempts per game, and Zia Cooke converted 39.5% of her 1.5 attempts. Neither was in the top seven in minutes per game in the playoffs.
The best volume shooters on the roster were Erica Wheeler, Nneka Ogwumike, and Skylar Diggins. They all shot between 36.5% and 37.3% on at least four 3-point attempts per game. Gaby Williams shot 30.5% on 3.7 attempts per game. Everyone else shot below 30%.
Even if the Storm’s front office re-signs all of the team’s stars, the roster lacks a knockdown volume shooter. Azzi Fudd could be just that. Fudd is the best shooter in the draft. She is currently shooting 41.9% on 5.8 3-point attempts for her college career. Six games into the 2025-26 season, she has only shot below 42% once.
Olivia Miles vastly improved her 3-point shot last season, but has struggled from long range in her last five games. Even if her shot bounces back, she is not the kind of 3-point shooter Fudd is.
Fudd would be a great draft pick for the Storm, especially if Miles isn’t available anymore. However, there is also a world in which both are off the board by the time the Storm make their pick. Fudd is one of the players the Wings may be eying to draft with the top pick, and the Lynx could use a young point guard like Miles.