How the Storm Pulled Off the Draft Night Heist That Left Everyone Gasping

The Seattle Storm just executed one of the slickest moves we've seen at the WNBA draft, and it went down so fast most people didn't even realize what happened until the commissioner was already announcing it. Flau'jae Johnson, the two-time LSU All-American and 2023 national champion, heard her name called by the Golden State Valkyries at No. 8. Then, less than an hour later, she was a Storm player. The audible gasps in the room said it all.

Here's the thing that blew everyone's mind: Golden State general manager Ohemaa Nyanin told ESPN the deal was already locked in before a single pick was submitted. "Seattle and I had an agreement to trade picks prior to any athlete selection," Nyanin said in a call right after Monday night's draft. "I want to be super clear about the draft: This had nothing to do with Flau'jae or any specific athlete selection."

The Timing and the Framework

According to ESPN's sources, the two teams had been talking trade framework before the draft kicked off, but things didn't get officially locked down until Golden State was actually on the clock with that No. 8 pick in hand. The Valkyries made the call to trade down to the second round because the players they really wanted were already gone after the first few picks. So Golden State told Seattle to grab Johnson, and then at No. 16 in the second round, Seattle returned the favor and instructed Golden State to take Marta Suárez, a 6-foot-3 forward out of TCU. On top of Johnson, the Valkyries also picked up a 2028 second-round selection as the sweetener.

The whole thing had to go down the way it did because after 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, teams couldn't trade picks until the selections actually happened on draft day. That's why you saw the trade announced right before the No. 17 pick.

Why the Storm Made the Move

Storm general manager Talisa Rhea wasn't shy about why she jumped at this. "We didn't think that Johnson would be available at that point," she said during the postdraft news conference. "We had been in conversations, and so, as we got closer to that pick, once it became a reality, just really excited." The team had been actively hunting for a chance to move up in the draft and land another impact player, and when Golden State signaled they were willing to deal, Rhea pulled the trigger.

This is the kind of draft night move that changes a roster's trajectory. The Storm got their guy, and everyone watching got a lesson in how to work the draft.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.