In her first professional game on American soil, 19-year-old Awa Fam spotted the ball on the wing, caught a pick-and-roll from Flau'jae Johnson, and finished at the rim for her inaugural WNBA points—a moment that crystallized Seattle Storm's dominant 97-85 victory over the Washington Mystics on Sunday.
The Storm's win matters because it signals the arrival of a generational talent and the organization's commitment to rebuilding around fresh energy. Fam, the No. 3 overall draft pick who joined the team on Friday after helping Valencia secure the Spanish League title, didn't just show up—she made an immediate impact. The 6-foot-4 center finished with 10 points in 20 minutes in her debut, a strong statement of intent for a player who turns 20 next month.
Natisha Hiedeman tied her career high with 24 points, orchestrating Seattle's offense with precision. She hit a crucial 3-pointer early in the second quarter to give the Storm the lead for good, then added a long floater with just 1.8 seconds left in the half to push the advantage to 49-37. That kind of clutch performance set the tone for what became a rout in the second half, when the Mystics could never claw their way back into contention.
Rookie Flau'jae Johnson contributed 17 points, her best output of the season, while also distributing five assists and pulling down seven rebounds. She made seven of her 12 field-goal attempts, showcasing the kind of efficient scoring that made her a lottery-pick prospect. Her chemistry with Fam on that pick-and-roll—the play that launched Fam's WNBA career—hinted at the offensive fluency this young Storm core could develop.
What made this victory especially striking was its free-throw marathon: 75 total fouls were called, with an astonishing 52 free throws awarded in the second half alone. The Storm thrived in this environment, hitting 32 of 34 from the line for a 94 percent clip. The Mystics, meanwhile, made 35 of 41 from the stripe but stumbled everywhere else, shooting just 20 percent from 3-point range on 20 attempts. Seattle, by contrast, made a season-high 13 three-pointers on 28 attempts.
Stefanie Dolson provided steady support for the Storm with 16 points on perfect shooting: 3 of 3 from the field, 2 of 2 from beyond the arc, and an unblemished 8 of 8 from the line. Zia Cooke added 10 points. For Washington, Sonia Citron led the way with 16 points, while Kiki Iriafen, Georgia Amoore, and Angela Dugalic each chipped in 13. Shakira Austin scored 12. None of it was enough to overcome Seattle's stifling defense and precise execution in the second half, when the Mystics trailed by double figures throughout.
The victory comes on the heels of Friday's 77-59 rout of Connecticut, which snapped a frustrating three-game losing streak. The Storm (3-4) are finding their rhythm just as Fam arrives to provide another dimension. The Mystics (2-3) will have little time to regroup—the teams face off again Wednesday in Seattle, offering Washington an immediate chance at redemption.
For the Storm, this weekend has been about turning a corner. Fam's debut was the exclamation point.