The Connecticut Sun boat is rocking like it has never before. The franchise is facing one of the most turbulent stretches in its recent history. Considered one of the most consistent teams in the league, they have qualified for the postseason every year since 2017. But right now, the picture is looking very bleak for the Connecticut side. Currently nursing a 10-game losing streak, the departure of head coach Stephanie White to the Indiana Fever in the offseason, and growing uncertainty around the team’s ownership have rendered the franchise directionless for the foreseeable future. 

Team president Jennifer Rizzotti has confirmed that the ownership group is exploring all options to strategically invest in the team, including the possibility of a sale, adding fuel to the fire in an already difficult situation. Despite the struggles, rookie forward Aneesah Morrow has emerged as a rare bright spot in recent games. She led the Sun in scoring for the 3rd straight game, posting 12 points against the Las Vegas Aces, along with 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block. Still, her performances were not enough to turn things around, as the Aces rolled to an 86–68 victory, clearly outclassing the Sun in all parts of the court. 

Next up for Connecticut is the Seattle Storm, a team currently heading in the opposite direction. Seattle is playing its best basketball of the season and sits in second place in the Western Conference. They had a statement win against the reigning champions, New York Liberty, who had previously been in second place overall. Gabby Williams, recently selected as a 2025 WNBA All-Star reserve, led Seattle with 16 points, while veteran forward Nneka Ogwumike added 15 points and 7 rebounds. 

Despite a 20-point first-half explosion from Sabrina Ionescu, the Storm remained composed and put together a dominant 22-6 run in the third quarter to take control and defeat Liberty. The Storm and Sun meet at the crossroads, and right now it’s a classic matchup of David vs Goliath.

Still, it will be a very interesting game to look forward too. Okay then, let’s jump into why you guys came here in the first place.

Seattle Storm vs. Connecticut Sun: Injury Report

Marina Mabrey sustained a left knee injury against the Dallas Wings on June 20 and was supposed to miss 2-4 weeks, according to the Sun. Her return is awaited as she had been one of the bright spots for the side, but she’ll definitely miss the game against the Storm. Jaelyn Brown is also considered a Game Time Decision as she is out with an illness. For the Storm, there are no new injuries as Katie Lou Samuelson continues to rehabilitate from her ACL tear. 

Seattle Storm vs. Connecticut Sun: Predicted Lineups

Seattle Storm (12-7)

Nneka Ogwumike

Gabby Williams

Ezi Magbegor

Skylar Diggins

Erica Wheeler

Connecticut Sun (2-16)

Aneesah Morrow

Olivia Nelson-Ododa

Bria Hartley

Jacy Sheldon

Saniya Rivers

Seattle Storm vs. Connecticut Sun: Match Preview and Prediction

Marina Mabrey is comfortably the best player on the Sun side. The 2 wins they have had this year are on the back of some superhuman Mabrey performances. In the win against the Fever, she dropped 26 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. A week later, against the Atlanta Dream, she scored 34 points and 4 assists against the Dream to guide the Sun to their second win. Now that she has been out, the only source of positivity is off the court.

Despite Connecticut’s frailty, the Storm can’t afford to get complacent. The Indiana Fever made that mistake once. A loss here could trigger another streak, and they already had a 3-game-long one earlier in the season. The team has huffed and puffed since then to be back at the top. They have championship aspirations and will press that accelerator to contend with the Minnesota Lynx for that top spot. The last time Storm faced Sun, they made light work of the struggling side, losing 97-81 on the road.

For the Sun, they will give the youngsters on the side more opportunities on the court as they have virtually no chance of qualifying this year. Other than Mabrey, Tina Charles is shooting 40.8% and averaging 14.7 points. Jacy Sheldon has improved in the past 10 games, averaging 10.0 points per game, 2.1 more than her season-wide average.  As the worst offensive and defensive team in the league, the Sun doesn’t seem to have many weapons in its locker. The ESPN predictor still gives them a respectable 22.2% chance of a win in this, but, as expected, the Storm remain the favorites. 

Connecticut Sun’s season is unraveling, and without Marina Mabrey, they have found no consistency whatsoever. What remains is a young, struggling roster searching for rhythm in a league that eats the unprepared for breakfast. Can the Sun find some hope and earn some respect, at least from a car crash of a season? Only time will tell. On the other hand, the Seattle Storm needs to show that they belong at the top. With playoff seeding and championship ambitions on the line, this is a game they must dominate, not just win. A stumble here would be more than embarrassing.