Seattle opens season vs. Los Angeles without Lauren Jackson
vs. 
Los Angeles at Seattle
Friday, May 18, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
KeyArena, Seattle
Television: NBA TV, KONG, KDOC
The 16th season of the WNBA begins in Seattle when the Storm hosts the Los Angeles Sparks. Star forward/center Australian Lauren Jackson will be missing from the Storm lineup due to Olympic preparation with her national team.
The Sparks arrive in Seattle with a new coach, former Atlanta assistant Carol Ross, plus a revamped roster with the addition of veterans Nicky Anosike, Alana Beard, Marissa Coleman plus Sharnee’ Zoll and rookie Nneka Ogwumike. The team is still anchored by veterans Candace Parker, DeLisha Milton-Jones and Ebony Hoffman. In the preseason the Sparks won its two games against non-WNBA teams beating national teams from Japan and China. However, they lost by one point on May 13 on the road vs. Seattle. Ogwumike who had 20 points and 11 rebounds against China, then 17 points and six rebounds vs. Japan only scored seven points in the matchup with Seattle.
Hoopfeed.com Los Angeles Season Preview
Seattle played two games during the preseason. They lost on the road on May 11 at Tulsa 86-60, committing a stunning 39 turnovers. Victoria Dunlap led Storm in that game with 13 points and five rebounds. In the game two days later against Los Angeles, rookie Shekinna Stricklen led with 15 points plus four rebounds. Camille Little had 12 points, four rebounds and Tina Thompson scored 11 points and pulled down five rebounds.
Hoopfeed.com Seattle Season Preview
Los Angeles Sparks
| NUM | PLAYER | POS | HT | WT | DOB | FROM | YRS |
| 55 | Nicky Anosike | F-C | 6-3 | 210 | 02/27/1986 | Tennessee | 4 |
| 0 | Alana Beard | G-F | 5-11 | 160 | 05/14/1982 | Duke | 8 |
| 25 | Marissa Coleman | G-F | 6-1 | 160 | 01/04/1987 | Maryland | 3 |
| 16 | Ebony Hoffman | F | 6-2 | 215 | 08/27/1982 | USC | 8 |
| 42 | Jantel Lavender | C | 6-4 | 185 | 11/12/1988 | Ohio State | 1 |
| 8 | DeLisha Milton-Jones | F | 6-1 | 185 | 09/11/1974 | Florida | 13 |
| 30 | Nneka Ogwumike | F | 6-2 | 07/02/1990 | Stanford | R | |
| 3 | Candace Parker | F | 6-4 | 175 | 04/19/1986 | Tennessee | 4 |
| 24 | April Sykes | G-F | 6-0 | 07/30/1990 | Rutgers | R | |
| 20 | Kristi Toliver | G | 5-7 | 130 | 01/27/1987 | Maryland | 3 |
| 5 | Sharnee’ Zoll | G | 5-7 | 148 | 07/11/1986 | Virginia | 1 |
Seattle Storm Roster
| NUM | PLAYER | POS | HT | WT | DOB | FROM | YRS |
| 10 | Sue Bird | G | 5-9 | 149 | 10/16/1980 | Connecticut | 10 |
| 32 | Alysha Clark | F | 5-10 | 167 | 07/07/1987 | Middle Tennessee State | R |
| 15 | Lauren Jackson* Not with the team training in Australia for the Olympics |
F-C | 6-6 | 187 | 05/11/1981 | Australia | 11 |
| 34 | Victoria Dunlap | F | 6-1 | 167 | 09/19/1989 | Kentucky | 1 |
| 11 | Ewelina Kobryn | C | 6-4 | 210 | 05/07/1982 | Poland | 1 |
| 20 | Camille Little | F | 6-2 | 194 | 01/18/1985 | North Carolina | 5 |
| 14 | Katie Smith | G | 5-11 | 181 | 06/04/1974 | Ohio State | 13 |
| 40 | Shekinna Stricklen | G-F | 6-2 | 178 | 07/30/1990 | Tennessee | R |
| 7 | Tina Thompson | F | 6-2 | 191 | 02/10/1975 | USC | 15 |
| 12 | Ann Wauters | C | 6-4 | 185 | 10/12/1980 | Belgium | 7 |
| 30 | Tanisha Wright | G | 5-11 | 171 | 11/29/1983 | Penn State | 7 |
