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Seattle Storm: How Three Major Injuries Changed the Season

Katie Lou Samuelson, Jordan Horston, and Nika Mühl are sidelined, leaving the Storm to piece together a season that already feels like a fight for survival.

Edward Blair II

Aug 5, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Seattle Storm guard Jordan Horston (23) controls the ball against the Phoenix Mercury during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Aug 5, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Seattle Storm guard Jordan Horston (23) controls the ball against the Phoenix Mercury during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Samuelson Falls, Silence in the Gym

On May 1 in, Seattle Storm, practice ended in silence. Katie Lou Samuelson was on the hardwood, clutching her knee. The squeak of sneakers stopped, teammates frozen, coaches rushing over. Hours later, the team confirmed the fear that hung in the air — a torn ACL. Season over. Just like that.

She wasn’t supposed to be the star. She was supposed to be the connector. A shooter, a spacer, someone who made everything easier for the people around her. Without her, the floor shrinks, the paint clogs, and every possession becomes a little harder.

Horston’s Promise Put on Pause

Then there’s Jordan Horston. Raw, fearless, still learning. The kind of player who can guard three positions and change a game with energy alone. She was turning a corner — you could see it in her second year, the confidence starting to show.

And then, another ACL tear, this time during Athletes Unlimited play. Momentum gone. Growth halted. A young career put on pause, leaving Seattle without the wing they thought would be theirs for the next decade.

Mühl Never Got Her Shot

Nika Mühl’s rookie year ended before it began. Overseas in Turkey, in her very first professional game, she crumpled too. ACL. Meniscus. Surgery.

She was drafted to shadow Skylar Diggins, to bring her stubborn defense and toughness into the backcourt. Instead, she’s in street clothes, learning the league from the sideline. A season that was supposed to shape her instead disappears into rehab appointments and long afternoons of waiting.

Veterans Left to Carry the Weight

Now it’s on the old guard. Nneka Ogwumike in the paint, reliable as gravity. Diggins with the ball in her hands, orchestrating every possession. Ezi Magbegor stretching into a bigger role, blocking shots, keeping them in games.

Around them, a cast asked to do more than expected: Gabby Williams, Brittney Sykes, Erica Wheeler, Lexie Brown, Tiffany Mitchell, Zia Cooke, and rookie Dominique Malonga. Names on the roster who were supposed to fill minutes. Instead, they’re being asked to fill holes.

Storm
Aug 15, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Seattle Storm guard Brittney Sykes (20) reacts to the win against the Atlanta Dream during the second half at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images / Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images

A Season Defined by Adversity

This is what the Seattle Storm injury report 2025 really says. Not just who is gone. But what has been taken. Depth. Development. Momentum.

The margin for error is gone. Every win is a grind. Every loss is a reminder. And yet — they keep showing up. Because what else can you do?

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Edward Blair II
EDWARD BLAIR II

Edward Blair II is a sportscaster, journalist, and multimedia professional covering the Seattle Storm for Sports Illustrated’s On SI platform. He also writes for Illinois On SI and Last Word on College Football, providing coverage of the Fighting Illini and Michigan Wolverines. Blair is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS). He brings a unique voice shaped by years of coaching, podcasting, and content creation across multiple platforms. In addition to his writing, Blair is the host of The Ed Blair Podcast and an intern video editor with Roundtable Sports Network, where he edits NFL content. He also serves as a freelance production assistant with Fox Sports, having worked major events including the IndyCar 500 content week.

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