Seattle Storm open camp with order from new coach Sonia Raman: ‘Play with joy'
Regardless of what happened, Sonia Raman was going to enjoy her first day on the court with the Storm.
"We've all put in a lot of work to get to this moment and to get to Day 1 as a group," the first-year WNBA coach said when asked her thoughts on the eve of Sunday's training-camp opener. "Make sure to remind myself to enjoy it because of course … it's not going to be perfect."
Dressed in black with her arms folded, Raman stood mostly silent on the sideline and wore a pensive look while overseeing her first official Storm practice.
At times, she gave quick instructions, but mostly her staff led players through drills and barked instructions during five-on-five scrimmages.
The 52-year-old Raman isn't the loudest voice in a room and she smiled when asked if she's an old-school rant-and-rave type of coach who's prone to verbal outbursts.
"I'm a teacher at the end of the day," said Raman, who coached Division III powerhouse MIT (2008-20) before stints as an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies (2020-24) and New York Liberty (2025). "I want to do what I can do to teach (players) to be their best on game day. And so, if that requires a little bit more of a push, a whistle or stop practice and explain or push in that way, then I'm going to do that. If it requires a lot of energy and encouragement and enthusiasm (to) pour confidence into them.
"Really it's about teaching and getting them to be able to make the reads that they need to make, so that they feel really good on game day, to be able to do what they need to do."
Raman began Storm training camp getting to know firsthand the players general manager Talisa Rhea assembled during free agency and the draft.
Over the next three weeks, the Storm will need to whittle the active roster to 12 players, potentially sign developmental players, determine a starting lineup and rotation, establish an offensive pecking order and defensive philosophy while forging an identity and chemistry before the regular-season opener May 8.
It's a daunting to-do list, but for now Raman wants to keep things relatively basic and gave her team a simple directive.
"Compete, get better together and play with joy," she said. "That's going to be my message all year long. … It's knowing that everything is new. Be able to move on to the next play. It's not going to be perfect today. What we're trying to do is we're trying to stack days and just get better and better and really grow that foundation both on the court and as a culture in the locker room."
Not surprisingly, Sunday was a bit of an adjustment for the seven Storm holdovers who returned to Seattle with a new coaching staff and 11 new players in camp.
"Obviously, (Noelle Quinn) was my head coach for five years and assistant for one, so this is my first year without her," seventh-year forward Ezi Magbegor said. "It was great to be coached by Noey. She's a great coach, and we built a really great relationship. I think Sonia has come in and obviously she's built relationships in the offseason and just really prepped in her new role.
"It's been great in what she's been wanting to implement. Obviously, a different coach, but I think it's exciting. So, just looking forward to getting to know her more."
Magbegor and third-year forward Jordan Horston, who sat out last season due to an ACL injury, are the longest tenured Storm players.
"In the (WNBA), nothing is going to surprise me anymore," Horston said. "Just looking around, the group is different, but I loved seeing everybody was locked in and everybody was cheering for each other. It just seems like a great group. Everybody seems like they got their heads on right and ready to work. I feel like we can do something special."
Preseason expectations from league observers are tepid at best for the Storm, who finished 23-21 last season and lost four All-Stars in free agency.
If the first day of practice is an indicator, then Seattle plans to install a positionless offense led by veteran point guard Natisha Hiedeman and possibly rookie guard Flau'jae Johnson that will play fast and score in transition.
Defensively, the Storm are expecting to rely on their youth and athleticism, notably an imposing frontcourt featuring the 6-foot-4 Magbegor, 6-6 center Dominique Malonga and 6-4 forward Awa Fam.
"We're just trying to get down the floor as quickly as we can and then we're going to make decisions out of it," Raman said. "Get up the floor and run. Push the ball. That's also going to translate obviously on the defensive end with the ability to pressure the ball knowing the help that we have behind, knowing the length, the deflection. So, you know you can expect that style of play for sure."
The plan is mostly conceptual at this point and Raman's vision will become clearer following Saturday's preseason road opener against the Golden State Valkyries.
"I haven't really tried to put anyone in a box or presume anything just yet," Raman said. "We know their strengths and we know the things that they need to improve on. I think that kind of showed today.
"But it's more getting to know the personalities of the new players that we don't know and learning what they're like. There was maybe some surprising moments or some fun moments here and there."
Notes
- Fam, who was taken No. 3 overall in last week's WNBA draft, was the only Storm player not in camp. The 19-year-old Spaniard returned home after attending the draft in New York City to join her club Valencia Basket, which is playing in a tournament. When their season ends, she'll make her Storm debut.
- Katie Lou Samuelson and Horston, who are returning from ACL injuries that forced them to miss last season, did not participate in five-on-five drills Sunday. "They're still ramping up," Raman said.
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