June 26, 2026 — Seattle, WA – The rain returned to the Emerald City, but so did something Storm fans had been waiting nearly a month to see: a win!
In front of a relieved and energized crowd of 11,968 at Climate Pledge Arena on Thursday night, the Seattle Storm snapped an 11-game losing streak with an impressive 99-88 victory over the visiting New York Liberty.
Seattle controlled the contest for much of the evening, building a season-high 12-point advantage and never allowing the Liberty to fully regain momentum. The victory marked a much-needed turning point for a team that had continued to battle despite a difficult stretch.
Leading the Storm was Flau’jae Johnson, who delivered the best performance of her young WNBA career. Johnson poured in a career-high 28 points, connecting on 11 field goals while knocking down a personal-best four three-pointers to ignite Seattle’s offense.
The memorable night ended with a touching moment after the final buzzer. Johnson sprinted toward the Liberty bench, removed her sneakers, and greeted former Storm star Breanna Stewart, who gladly signed the purple shoes. Stewart, now in her fourth season with New York, was sidelined for Thursday night’s matchup but still shared a special postgame exchange with the Storm’s rising star.
Seattle’s victory featured milestones across the roster.
Natisha Hiedeman reached the 2,000-point milestone for her WNBA career, while rookie standout Dominique Malonga continued her remarkable season.
Malonga had 20 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 9-for-12 from the field for her third double-double in four games and fifth 20-point performance of the season. She became the youngest player in WNBA history to record 500 career points and 200 defensive rebounds.
Jade Melbourne added another spark, scoring a season-high 18 points, including nine in the third quarter. She shot 54.5% from the field while dishing out a game-high seven assists, helping Seattle maintain control throughout the second half.
For New York, Jonquel Jones paced the Liberty with 26 points and eight rebounds, while Leonie Fiebich contributed 19 points in the loss.
Following the game, Johnson refused to take individual credit for the breakout performance. Speaking during the on-court postgame interview, she instead praised her teammates one by one before insisting they join her in front of the cameras to celebrate the victory together—a fitting reflection of the team’s collective effort.
While Seattle’s players filled the stat sheet, the loudest ovation belonged to the loyal Storm fans. The true MVP’s of the night! Through every loss, they have embraced a roster of new faces and continued to fill Climate Pledge Arena with unwavering support. Thursday’s celebration felt like a reward for both the fans and the team.
Up Next: PRIDE NIGHT 🌈 Saturday, June 27, at 6:00 p.m. PT. vs the Atlanta Dream
Watch: locally on KOMO, CW Seattle, Prime Video
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