Storm re-sign 4-time All-WNBA defender Ezi Magbegor

Four-time All-WNBA defender Ezi Magbegor has re-signed with the Seattle Storm, the team announced Sunday during the second day of WNBA free agency.

Specifics of the contract were not released.

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Magbegor, who’s heading into her seventh pro season, received a core qualifying offer worth $1.4 million over one season from the Storm earlier this week. The 2019 first-round pick made $186,000 last season, per Spotrac.

“From the start, it was a priority for us to bring Ezi back to Seattle. She means a great deal to this organization and to our city,” Storm general manager Talisa Rhea said in a release from the team. “On the court, she has a real impact on the defensive end with her ability to cover ground, protect the rim and disrupt plays. She anchors us. What’s been just as impressive is her growth and the way she’s expanding her game and her voice. This next chapter is about fully stepping into that. We believe Ezi is one of the most impactful two-way players in the league, and we’re excited to keep building with her at the center of it.”

A 6-foot-4 forward/center, the 26-year-old Magbegor averaged 8.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 2.1 assists in 44 games on her way to second-team All-WNBA defensive team honors last season. Her 96 blocks led the WNBA.

In 2024, the Australian standout was a first-team all-defensive team pick and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting while averaging 11.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 2.0 assists and 1.1 steals in 37 games.

Magbegor is a one-time All-Star, earning a selection while averaging career highs of 13.8 points and 8.1 rebounds in her first season as a full-time starter in 2023.

Magbegor has spent all six of her WNBA seasons in Seattle. She’s currently second in franchise history with 354 blocks and fourth with 1,244 rebounds.

“When I think of home, I think of Seattle. I’m so excited to be back in a city and with an organization that means so much to me. As I continue my career, I’m excited to grow with this team in front of our amazing Storm fans,” Magbegor said in a release.

The Storm also announced the re-signing of 6-foot-3 forward Katie Lou Samuelson on Sunday. The 28-year-old Samuelson missed all of last season with a torn ACL in her right knee. She averaged 4.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 37 games for Indiana during the 2024 season.

Seattle Storm re-sign two players in free agency

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