Monday, June 29th, 2009 at 9:17 am  |  21 responses

Seattle Storming Early

Lauren Jackson & Co. on their way to another title?

by Stephen Litel

When thinking of the Seattle Storm, two players stand out above the rest. They are, of course, Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson. From Day One together, the two players had incredible chemistry and brought essentially every highlight to the Seattle franchise during their history. Although still eLauren Jackson. Photo by Sophia Hantzes.arly in the season, they have their team on track for many more highlights during the 2009 season and, more importantly, the playoffs.

“To be honest, I don’t know,” states Jackson when asked about her chemistry with Bird. “Right now, we play year-round together and that makes it a lot easier when you know someone that well. We were really lucky that we got drafted here and got to play together because we were able to play out our careers together, which is great. I think that definitely plays a lot into it. Off-court, we’re great mates and we do a lot of stuff together. We hang out and we lived together in Russia, so there’s a lot of reasons why.”

Once again, the Storm find themselves on top of the Western Conference standings early on in the season. Many people on the outside may believe this team is clicking on all cylinders. However, the former MVP is always focused on how her team can continue to improve and that’s why her teams have had so much success during her time in Seattle.

“Our coach said to us that we’re bottom in the league in rebounding, so I think that’s probably one. I reckon we’re going to be OK, but there’s obviously a lot of things we need to work on. It’s really early in the season and like every team, we’re just trying to get our stuff together. We’re just trying to do all that stuff.”

The Storm have been a factor in the WNBA for many years. With five players on the eleven player roster with at least seven years experience, they are prepared for almost any situation that may arise during a game. However, it also makes them a team that is starting to become an older squad and, although not immediately, the proverbial “window of opportunity” may begin to close soon.

“I don’t know,” says Jackson. “If you look at players like Sheryl Swoopes or Lisa Leslie, they sort of peaked in their early 30s. For Sue and I, we feel as long as we’re still the core of this team in a few years time, but not yet. Maybe in the future, but there’s young kids coming through and we have to teach them as much as we can in our time.”

Ultimately, as a team begins to get older, individual players begin the process of thinking of the future. Jackson is no different and after a summer in which she debating leaving Seattle, she ultimately decided her heart belonged where sLauren Jackson & Stephen Litel. Photo by Sophia Hantzes.he played her entire career. Although nothing is set in stone, she has begun to think about how much longer she would like to play the game of basketball.

“As long as my body holds out, I guess,” says Jackson. “That might be until I’m 38 or 39. I hate to say that ‘forty’ word, although I know it will come around eventually. It might be–touch wood—you never know. I hope to play for as long as I can. I love the game, so I love to be a part of it and enjoy it for as long as I can.”

Yet, as the first thoughts of life after basketball begin to creep into her head, the focus remains on the current season. On pace for another MVP season, Jackson doesn’t care about personal honors. She remains solely focused on her team continuing to improve and to compete for a championship later on this summer.

“We’re definitely showing signs of great potential, but we’ve definitely got a lot of stuff to work on,” says Jackson. “I do think we definitely have a team that can pull off a championship, but it’s just a matter of getting all the pieces together and really focusing on defense.”

If the Storm continue to progress and play at the level they are capable of on the court, they very well may be holding up the championship trophy soon. Jackson may also hold up another MVP trophy along the way.

Conversation Starter

Although we’re still early on in the season, what team is the early leader for the title? Do you agree with WNBA.com that Jackson is the favorite for the MVP?

Also, for those of you on Facebook, feel free to hit me up on there as well. I’m always up for conversation with fans.

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  • Teddy-the-Bear

    ^ You should delete that comment.

  • http://slamonline.com Stephen Litel

    Nicko,

    Officially bounced. Just because you don’t care about the WNBA doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of people who do. Take the hate elsewhere, my man…or, at the very least, come with an actual opinion.

  • http://slamonline.com/ Tzvi Twersky

    Stephen, thanks for the gr8 writeup. Did Seattle lose to LA last night tho? Shows the parity in the WL I guess,

  • http://www.slamonline.com/online/category/blogs/year-round-hoops/ Stephen Litel

    Tzvi,

    Yeah, I was laughing last night as I watched the Seattle/Los Angeles game, knowing this post was going up in the morning. Great timing, huh? lol.

  • Pingback: SLAM ONLINE |

  • solito

    To bad you guys don’t get to seem them two, Diana Taurasi, and Silvia Fowles ball at SPARTAK Moskau. That team has 7 girls over 6’5″ that can flat out ball. Ther is no better womens team in the world to watch.

  • will

    and Patrick Mills for R.O.Y

  • nicko

    hey just free speech, i don’t see why you had to delete my comment….but when the score is 24-15 at halftime are you still watching?

  • http://slamonline.com Stephen Litel

    Nicko,

    You must not have read my first post a while back. You can have your hate for the league all you want. I enjoy the conversation when there’s actually thought behind the argument. Your initial post had none of that and, as warned, I deleted the comment.

    Notice I’m keeping this new comment. Reason being that if a score was 24-15 at halftime, I would absolutely watch because that would be out of the norm. Something crazy must be going on in that game and, therefore, would be very entertaining to watch.

    Although I’m not trying to “convert” you, I’m assuming by your comment that you really haven’t given the WNBA a fair chance. Maybe you’ve caught tidbits of games here or there, but never sat down to truly examine why you dislike it.

    I’d encourage you to watch the Atlanta Dream vs. my Minnesota Lynx tonight on ESPN2. Two teams that are playing well so far this season with many great players and matchups. Who knows if you actually will sit down and take in the contest tonight, but if you do, I would love for you to post your thoughts afterwards. Tell us if your “hate” for the league is still as strong afterwards and why…or tell us what surprised you and might have slightly changed your perspective.

    This should make for a good game tonight.

  • nicko

    since there’s nothing else on tonight i’ll give this game a chance and get back to you….

  • jdote

    I think Lauren Jackson is the anti-Diana Taurasi. She is undoubtedly the best player in the league, but receives little notoriety. She does all the little things offensively and defensively, and gives 100 percent effort on both ends of the court when she’s healthy. I also appreciate the way she uses her physicality to establish position to score easy baskets. Part of being a great player is being efficient, and taking the shots that you want to take. I believe Taurasi has poor shot selection and it hurts her team. That is why I believe the Storm will be fair better than the Mercury in the west this season.

  • http://bleacherreport.com/users/42594-Hoops4life- Overtime

    Nice post Stephen, glad to see these getting put up on SLAMonline, its hard to keep up with the WNBA season over here in the UK

  • Gambler

    Lauren Jackson is NOT NOT the best player in the league JDOTE..what r u drinking.. ?? She’s good, but she’s no Candace Parker, lets get real..I feel a Larry bird complex going on..just because you are white and you can ball doesn’t make you automatically better than black players who are twice as good as you..LAUREN JACKSON HAAAAAA!!!!!

    With Parker playing seven months pregnant, then maybe LMAO

  • jdote

    I love Candace Parker’s game. I’m not sure where the race comment came from. I’d hope in this day and age people wouldn’t believe race matters when evaluating players. I just feel that Lauren Jackson makes more of an impact on both sides of the ball. Along with her two MVP’s, Jackson has also won a Defensive Player of the year award. Candace does some things Lauren can’t do, she’s good in the open court and can handle the rock a lot better. But Lauren is a superior rebounder, shooter and defender. I respect your opinion though, and believe in a couple of years, Candace will be right there when you mention the league’s best.

  • http://www.slamonline.com/online/category/blogs/year-round-hoops/ Stephen Litel

    Nicko, thanks for taking up the offer. Come on back and have a conversation after…even if you don’t like it, fine. Just come with legit reasons why. I’ll tell you though, I really respect you taking up the offer in such a public way like this.

  • http://www.slamonline.com/online/category/blogs/year-round-hoops/ Stephen Litel

    Gambler and jdote, love the conversation of Parker vs. Jackson. That would actually make one heck of an article down the line. Although Parker is the golden child now (and should be), if you’re basing the argument on who is better RIGHT NOW, it is essentially a toss-up.

  • Sarah

    I do believe Storm’s Lauren Jackson is without a doubt the best player in the world. Few people who REALLY know the game would argue against this. One thing that hurts Jackson in the states is that she is Australian. The league is desperate to win fans by creating superstars (NBA style), and sadly they are determined to turn the all American, good looking Candace Parker into such a figure. Candance is good but clearly not the best so far. If it was really about talent, we should then be focusing on players such as Catchins and others who are extremely talented. Candance is just a tool to get people interested in the game, that’s all.

  • Gambler

    No way..ok i’ll take race out of it..it was more to show what i felt was the absurdity of the statement, more than a black-white thing. Like when people said Bird was better than Magic.

    sarah..just stop..Candace Parker is a tool ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? to do what. “get people interested in the game”

    I’m done…

    don’t post on WNBA matters anymore..

    Do u watch any WNBA..I covered WNBA for two years..Candace Parker is the best..you can talk that Lauren Jackson stuff all you want…Nobody [but maybe Stephen], even believes you alittle bit..and at least u have one credible source backing you, but i respectfully disagree with him too on this matter..

  • http://www.slamonline.com/online/category/blogs/year-round-hoops/ Stephen Litel

    I do understand both sides of this disagreement, but after reading these past two posts…I do have to side with Gambler. Certainly, the WNBA wants to market superstars just like the NBA, but are marketing Parker for many reasons. One of them being she is simply one of the top players in the game now. She is not just a “tool,” but pure gold for the league…as she’s highly marketable AND a great player.

  • http://www.slamonline.com hoopsfan63

    I just want to talk about the Lynx. Another great win tonight! While they were cutting the roster preseason, one of my arguments for keeping Emily Fox was that no one was going to come to watch Roneeka Hodges play. I’m eating my words now!!!! She can hit from 3 point land all night long. Oh, in keeping with this post, I hope the Lynx beat the Storm next time around.

  • lexi

    Lauren Jackson is the best basketball player in the world of women’s basketball! You only say Parker is better because of all the attention to Sparks! There is no way she is better then LJ. Taurasi is only good because she can score, period! Lauren Jackson is both an offense and defense machine! Nobody can play like her!!! and from 2007, the mvp did not go to Lauren because she wasn’t healthy. If Lauren stayed healthy in 2009, taurasi will never win an mvp!! Lauren Jackson is the goddess of basketball.

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