Less than 24 hours before her WNBA debut, Storm rookie Jordan Horston traded her basketball shorts and jersey for a cap and gown to participate in an impromptu ceremony.
Coach Noelle Quinn stood behind a lectern at midcourt, players sat in the front row and the scoreboard read: ‘2023’ as the newest Tennessee Vols alum strolled across a court decorated with orange and white balloons with ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ blaring in the background.
“They caught me off guard for sure,” Horston said. “They were kicking me out of the gym and I was like ‘What’s going on?’ They got me. They got me good and I’m just appreciative of them for thinking about me on this special day. I couldn’t be more grateful.
“It shows that they care. They know I was kind of down about missing my graduation. It shows how much they care.”
Horston, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft, has poured everything into achieving her dream of playing in the league, but admittedly the UT communications major who minored in information science was a little bummed about missing the graduation Friday in Knoxville, Tenn.
“I know the type of player that she is and the relationships that she had in college,” Quinn said. “It’s important for her to be connected. All of this is for her, but it’s an example for all of our new players to see how we roll. We are more than just a basketball team. I talk about it all the time. It’s about the people. What we do in the community and how we represent ourselves. That goes a long way as well.”
Following Friday’s practice, the Storm turned their auxiliary gym at Seattle Pacific University into a makeshift graduation ceremony that included a short video highlighted by Vols women’s basketball coach Kellie Harper and UT Chancellor Donde Plowman.
“This is a big week for me,” the 21-year-old Horston said. “I graduated. I’m playing in my first WNBA game and my birthday is (Sunday). So, it’s big. Best week of my life.”
Most WNBA teams probably wouldn’t end practice with a surprise party and birthday cake before their season opener against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.
WNBA 2023 season Storm season preview
And a veteran-laden Storm squad might not have done so last year.
But Quinn is opting for a different — and arguably more holistic — approach this season with a young team comprised of nine newcomers, including four rookies.
Since the start of training camp April 30, the third-year Storm coach has spent the past three weeks trying to build chemistry and camaraderie off the court that might translate to a connection and cohesion during games.
“It starts with team bonding and building,” Quinn said. “We’re doing — I don’t want to call them gimmicky — they’re team-building things. Every day someone is responsible for the affirmation of the day. … We have accountability partners who hold each other accountable, and they’re supposed to come up with a handshake.”
“It’s just being more intentional about what we do off the court. I don’t have to force them to do it. They’ve organically have been around one another and enjoy one another so when they come on the floor it shows. Our training camp has been high energy but also enjoyable. Good-spirited. We work hard, but we can laugh and joke about things and get back to work. Just keeping them in the pocket of togetherness and chemistry will go a long way.”
Each year, Quinn likes to give the team a motto that’s symbolic of the season ahead.
Last year, she told them to ‘Leave No Doubt,’ which she had inscribed on a plaque inside their Climate Pledge Arena locker room.
“This year we have a word, an acronym. It’s SHIFT, which stands for sacrifice, heart, intelligence, focus and trust,” Quinn said. “We’re shifting and you can think about that in a lot of ways. Shifting our mindset, re-imagining this organization and where we need to go and what we need to be with the players that we have.”
Quinn talks about a shift in roles for four-time All-Star Jewell Loyd, who is tasked with carrying a team. And holdovers Ezi Magbegor and Mercedes Russell are being asked to shift out of their supporting roles and assume more responsibilities.
“It looks different,” newcomer Kia Nurse said weeks ago. “It’s a shift. Everyone has to shift their minds out of what they are used to seeing and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Things change. That’s just the way that life goes.”
The Storm will unveil a lineup consisting of Loyd, Nurse, Magbegor, Russell and Yvonne Turner during Saturday’s noon opener at Climate Pledge Arena that will be nationally televised on ABC.
The Aces are missing coach Becky Hammon who is serving a two-game league suspension.
“They’re a well-oiled machine,” Quinn said. “If you watched them in the preseason, they’re playing at a high level. They’re playing with one another. They added one of the best players in the history of the game in Candace Parker. Obviously, Becky is their leader, but they have a lot of familiarity with one another. They’re the defending champs. They’re still a very strong presence without their coach.”
Las Vegas is favored to make a second appearance in the WNBA Finals while most league observers predict Seattle will finish among the four teams who miss the playoffs in the 12-team league.
“I just want us to be competitive,” Quinn said. “I want us to play hard. A game like that I expect some nerves — a lot of nerves actually. But at the end of the day if we can stay connected and stay within our game plan, then that’ll give us a chance at the beginning to be in the mix at the end of the game.
“The competitive spirit, playing hard and outworking those are non-negotiables. I hope that shows when we play.”
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