The atmosphere inside Climate Pledge Arena was electric Friday night as fans welcomed a new era of Seattle basketball. The spotlight shined brightly on rookie sensation Flau’jae Johnson making her debut for the Seattle Storm and the emotional return of former fan favorite Gabby Williams to the city where she spent most of her WNBA career.
It did not take long for Johnson to make her presence felt. The rookie star opened the scoring with a deep three-pointer that brought the Seattle crowd to its feet and gave Storm fans a glimpse of the excitement surrounding one of the league’s newest young stars. The energy inside the building was loud early as Seattle hoped to defend home court against the expansion Golden State Valkyries.
But after the opening moments, the night belonged to Golden State.
The Valkyries controlled the tempo for most of the game, building momentum quarter after quarter before stretching the lead to as many as 18 points early in the fourth. Their balanced attack and defensive pressure proved too much as Golden State cruised to an impressive 91-80 opening night road victory over Seattle.
Veteran guard Veronica Burton led the way for the Valkyries with 16 points and 6 assists, setting the tone offensively while keeping the team composed in a hostile environment. Second-year guard Kaitlyn Chen provided a major spark off the bench, scoring a career-high 14 points in just 16 minutes and helping Golden State maintain control throughout the second half.
For Williams, the night marked an emotional return to Seattle. The versatile forward finished with 7 points and 6 rebounds while continuing to adjust to her new team and role. Storm fans showed appreciation for the former Seattle standout, who played several memorable seasons with the franchise and remained a respected figure within the organization.
Despite the loss, Seattle fans still witnessed history from one of the franchise’s brightest young talents. Dominique Malonga became the youngest player in WNBA history to reach 200 career rebounds, another milestone that highlights the incredible potential of the rising star. At just the beginning of her professional journey, it feels like this will be only the first of many records and accomplishments for Malonga.
Opening night may have belonged to the Valkyries, but the future remains bright in Seattle. Between the arrival of Flau’jae Johnson, the continued growth of Dominique Malonga, and the passion inside Climate Pledge Arena, the Storm still gave fans plenty of reasons for optimism moving forward.
