The Seattle Storm have been fighting to stay above the playoff line all season, and their late-summer trade for Brittney Sykes\u00a0was meant to push them forward. What they got was more than just another talented player.<\/p>\n
Sykes brought the kind of veteran intensity that transforms a locker room, and no one has had a better view of that transformation than rookie Dominique Malonga.<\/p>\n
How Has Brittney Sykes Changed the Storm\u2019s Identity?<\/p>\n
Malonga has shown flashes of star potential herself, but she\u2019s been clear about what Sykes has brought to Seattle that goes beyond the stat sheet.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst, she\u2019s an All-Star and an amazing player, so she was a great addition to this team,\u201d Malonga told RG<\/a>. \u201cShe brings energy every time she steps on the court. She\u2019s a big voice, an energizer, and she gives 100 percent of herself. She didn\u2019t wait to learn every single play \u2014 she just came out, gave her all, and that helped us right away.\u201d<\/p>\n That instant impact approach is exactly what Seattle needed. After eight seasons without a championship, Sykes specifically asked out of Washington because she wanted to compete for something meaningful.<\/p>\n \u201cI just wanted an opportunity to compete for a championship and playoffs,\u201d Sykes admitted after the trade that sent her to Seattle in exchange for longtime Storm veteran Alysha Clark, guard Zia Cooke, and a 2026 first-round pick.<\/p>\n Brittney Sykes said she requested a trade from the #Mystics<\/a> because she wanted a chance compete for a championship. #WNBA<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/d4EQOjD5bp<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Double Take Sports (@dbltakesports) August 24, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The numbers back up her impact. In eight games with the Storm, Sykes is averaging 12.8 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 rebounds while delivering her signature lockdown defense. As a four-time All-Defensive Team selection who led the league in steals in both 2021 and 2022, she\u2019s brought an edge that Seattle desperately needed.<\/p>\n Her slashing ability and playmaking at the guard spot have made the Storm more dangerous at both ends of the floor.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Malonga has thrived in this new environment. The No. 2 overall pick is averaging 13.8 points and 7.4 rebounds over her last 10 games, with veterans like Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith praising her development. For Malonga, learning from established stars like Sykes has accelerated her growth in ways that go beyond basketball fundamentals.<\/p>\n Can the Storm Secure Their Playoff Spot?<\/p>\n The real test comes down to whether Sykes\u2019 arrival will be enough to push Seattle into the postseason. The Storm have struggled with consistency all year, following impressive wins with frustrating losses that have kept them on the playoff bubble.<\/p>\n Since Sykes joined the team, Seattle has gone 4-5, including a tough loss to the Las Vegas Aces in her debut. That inconsistency has left them sitting at 20-19, barely holding onto the eighth and final playoff spot.<\/p>\n BRITTANY SYKES AND-1 \ud83d\ude24<\/p>\n She dances in for the bucket plus the foul!<\/p>\n SEA-IND | CBSSN pic.twitter.com\/SbtZa7L0Kj<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 WNBA<\/a> (@WNBA) August 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n They\u2019re 1.5 games ahead of the ninth-seeded Los Angeles Sparks, who trail at 17-19, meaning every remaining matchup counts. To complicate things, three of their last games are against the league\u2019s best \u2014 the Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, and the Aces again.<\/p>\n For Sykes, the newly minted WNBA All-Star, the challenge is exactly why she pushed for the trade. Her reputation as a relentless two-way player could be what steadies a Storm team desperate for consistency. If her leadership and defense can anchor the group, Seattle might just sneak in, and once the playoffs begin, anything is possible.<\/p>\n\n
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