{"id":835842,"date":"2026-06-01T02:13:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T02:13:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/835842\/"},"modified":"2026-06-01T02:13:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T02:13:17","slug":"how-seattle-is-allowing-zia-to-cooke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/835842\/","title":{"rendered":"How Seattle is allowing Zia to Cooke"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SEATTLE \u2014 It has become an increasingly common occurrence at Climate Pledge Arena: Storm guard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/c\/cookezi01w.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.theixsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-05-31_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Zia Cooke<\/a> scores, the announcer calls out \u201cLet her\u2026\u201d and the crowd responds enthusiastically, \u201cCooke!\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across five home games, Cooke has scored 64 of her 90 points on the season. Though Cooke swears she has been too locked in to hear the chant, she feels great about the start of her fourth WNBA season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt feels good, honestly,\u201d Cooke told The IX Sports. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely a breath of fresh air for me, and I think it all just comes from the work that I put in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On opening night, Cooke immediately set a new career-high, scoring 15 points in a 91-80 loss to Golden State. The No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft improved on that further two home games later, dropping 25 points in a 77-59 win over Connecticut. On the season, she has scored in double digits in five out of nine games played and is averaging 10.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 18.1 minutes per game off the bench.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After the Storm defeated the Mystics 97-85 and Cooke scored 10 points, Washington head coach Sydney Johnson said the 5\u20199 guard was a focus on their scouting report and letting her score that many was an area they let themselves down in.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe\u2019s playing great, always been super aggressive, and kind of has a green light right now, and she\u2019s taken full advantage of it,\u201d Johnson said ahead of the team\u2019s rematch two days later. \u201cOne of the things that\u2019s impressive is she\u2019s a tough shot maker. It\u2019s not just necessarily wide open looks; she\u2019s kind of like one of those players that thrives on being guarded closely and hitting those lean back shots or tough threes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is quite different from last season when Cooke <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/features\/zia-cooke-remains-focused-on-growth-amidst-fresh-start-in-seattle\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">started to rediscover herself<\/a> after two years struggling in Los Angeles. Last year, the South Carolina alum didn\u2019t know when or if she would see game action on a nightly basis. Cooke played in 26 games last season and, through nine games this season, has already surpassed or matched her 2025 totals in points, assists and rebounds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everything about this year, from a new coaching staff to many new teammates, has provided Cooke with a crucial, fresh start. Cooke\u2019s strong start to the season isn\u2019t just good for her individually; it is good for her team.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWithout Zia, we\u2019re not even in a couple of these games; we don\u2019t win a game or two,\u201d veteran guard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/h\/hiedena01w.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.theixsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-05-31_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Natisha Hiedeman<\/a> told The IX Sports.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe need her to score for us, and she\u2019s gotten straight to that,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/h\/horstjo02w.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.theixsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-05-31_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Jordan Horston<\/a> told The IX Sports. \u201cJust being confident, getting downhill, making right reads, finding people \u2014 she\u2019s been a great scorer for us, and that\u2019s what we need, the spark off the bench.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sixth player of the year energy<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cooke has become one of the first players that head coach Sonia Raman calls off the bench on a regular basis. Australian guard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/m\/melboja01w.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.theixsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-05-31_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Jade Melbourne<\/a>, who has been starting for the Storm since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/m\/malondo01w.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.theixsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-05-31_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Dominique Malonga<\/a>\u2019s injury, told The IX Sports that Cooke changes the energy when she comes into games, whether she\u2019s scoring or not.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor the people coming in \u2026 it\u2019s all about maintaining and going up another gear and [Cooke] is probably the frontrunner for that and the leader for that,\u201d Melbourne said. \u201cThere\u2019s no drop off when Zia comes into the game. We\u2019re actually better out of it. And I think the last five minutes of our first quarters have actually been better when Zia comes into the game. She\u2019s really brought the juice, increased the energy, and been a real spark plug.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Related to that energy, Hiedeman thinks Cooke also boosts the team\u2019s speed because she likes to play with a lot of pace, on and off the ball.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"913\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"50110\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/20260522_vs-connecticut_hiedeman_fs-8-copy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260522_vs-Connecticut_Hiedeman_FS-8-copy-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2282,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M4&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1779482145&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;198&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1600&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.000625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"20260522_vs Connecticut_Hiedeman_FS-8 copy\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Seattle Storm guards Natisha Hiedeman and Zia Cooke celebrate after a made basket in the game against the Connecticut Sun on May 22, 2026, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. (Photo courtesy of Seattle Storm)&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/20260522_vs-Connecticut_Hiedeman_FS-8-copy-913x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/20260522_vs-Connecticut_Hiedeman_FS-8-copy-913x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Natisha Hiedeman and Zia Cooke run towards each other yelling and celebrating after a made basket.\" class=\"wp-image-50110\"  \/>Seattle Storm guards Natisha Hiedeman and Zia Cooke celebrate after a made basket in the game against the Connecticut Sun on May 22, 2026, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. (Photo credit: Seattle Storm)<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Melbourne says none of the team are surprised that Cooke is performing like this, given the work she always puts in.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cZia has just stayed consistent in everything she does,\u201d Melbourne told The IX Sports. \u201cShe\u2019s always in the weight room, she\u2019s always putting up extra shots, she\u2019s always going 100% at practice. \u2026 She\u2019s just someone that\u2019s grabbed her opportunity with both hands.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Melbourne, who has been in that spark-off-the-bench role more often than not in her WNBA career, understands that a bench role isn\u2019t easy. In her experience, it\u2019s a really tough role to take on if you don\u2019t own it and are just worried about minutes. But if you own it, it\u2019s fun.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s fun to come in,\u201d Melbourne explained. \u201cThe starters from the other team might still be in; you\u2019ve got the fresh legs. You come in, take it to them, and you see the ball go through the hoop early, and you bring that energy to the team, and we rely on that. \u2026<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI certainly enjoy it, but you also have to stay ready for the moment, and it\u2019s a testament to the consistent things she does day in and day out that she\u2019s ready to do that. And she\u2019s owned it, so she\u2019s going to continue to do that all season.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-fl-body-bg-background-color has-background has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong>Listen now to The IX Sports Podcast and Women\u2019s Sports Daily<\/strong><br \/><\/strong><br \/>We are excited to announce the launch of TWO new podcasts for all the women\u2019s sports fans out there looking for a daily dose of women\u2019s sports news and analysis. Stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or anywhere you listen to podcasts, and make sure to subscribe!<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cooke feels like this season, she really is owning it. Raman told Cooke early on that she wanted her to be a spark off the bench. In the past, Cooke said that might have affected her mentally if she felt like she should\u2019ve been starting, but sometimes you have to put pride aside and do whatever the team needs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSo when she told me that she wanted me to be a spark off the bench, I took that with pride, because coming from not even playing to being a spark, that\u2019s a blessing in itself and it\u2019s something I definitely take pride in,\u201d Cooke said. \u201cSo every time I step on the court, being a spark is my guide.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Owning her role also means playing to her strengths, or as Melbourne put it, \u201ctailoring her game to allow herself to play with that elite athleticism.\u201d That athleticism ranges from her foot speed to her vertical jumping (Melbourne said she wins jump testing for the guards) to her innate instinct to spin with the ball.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"50109\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/20260524_vs-washington_q1_fs-29\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260524_vs-Washington_Q1_FS-29-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1707,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M4&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1779664789&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;81&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0015625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"20260524_vs Washington_Q1_FS-29\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke shoots a layup in the game against the Washington Mystics at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. on May 24, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Seattle Storm).&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/20260524_vs-Washington_Q1_FS-29-683x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/20260524_vs-Washington_Q1_FS-29-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Zia Cooke hangs a few feet off the ground as she is about to release her layup shot at the rim with defenders behind her, lost by her quick first step.\" class=\"wp-image-50109\"  \/>Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke shoots a layup in the game against the Washington Mystics at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash., on May 24, 2026. (Photo credit: Seattle Storm).<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s hard to get to the rim in this league because everyone\u2019s so long and teams do a really good job of clogging up the paint, but Zia\u2019s first step just catches everyone off guard,\u201d Melbourne said. \u201cAnd the way she can take off from just below the free-throw line and still use her two steps to finish at the rim, she can hang in the air; it\u2019s a unique skill set. \u2026 She knows what her body\u2019s capable of, and then has a skill set to complement that. So it\u2019s really special, and I love watching her play.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to her elite first step, Hiedeman has also seen growth in Cooke\u2019s IQ that has helped her. All around her game \u2014 reading the defense to know when to pass, when to be aggressive and get a bucket, and where to move off-ball \u2014 Hiedeman has seen improvement to further boost her impact as a three-level scorer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Cooke\u2019s offense has been the most obvious element of her impact, Melbourne says that part of the shift she brings is via her defensive intensity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe\u2019s also like a dog on defense, and I think that\u2019s really underestimated too,\u201d Melbourne said. \u201cShe\u2019s going to be up in your face, she\u2019s going to be annoying you, she\u2019s going to poke at the ball, she\u2019s going to make offenses really uncomfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Being a presence on both ends of the floor is what Raman and her staff have asked of Cooke. She sees her guard really trying to rise to the occasion and \u201cbe someone who can pressure and pick up a little bit more full court, and even in the half court, just at the point of attack, trying to get into people, be physical, be scrappy, and make plays.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"706\" data-attachment-id=\"50106\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/wnba-connecticut-sun-at-seattle-storm-4\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/USATSI_29060749-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1764\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;John Froschauer-Imagn Images&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS R3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;May 22, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers (22) drives against Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke (7) during the second half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Froschauer-Imagn Images&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1779507708&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;John Froschauer&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;128&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;2500&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0004&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;WNBA: Connecticut Sun at Seattle Storm&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WNBA: Connecticut Sun at Seattle Storm\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers (22) drives against Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke (7) during the second half at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. on May 22, 2026. (Photo Credit: John Froschauer | Imagn Images)&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/USATSI_29060749-1024x706.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/USATSI_29060749-1024x706.jpg\" alt=\"Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers drives against Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke who is staying at her hip with one arm reaching through Rivers' arm to try and poke the ball away while the other arm keeps her big and disruptive.\" class=\"wp-image-50106\"  \/>Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers (22) drives against Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke (7) during the second half at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. on May 22, 2026. (Photo Credit: John Froschauer | Imagn Images)<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cooke says she feels like her defense has improved because it is easier to play defense now that she knows the teams and concepts better, and because of her teammates.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s just easier to play when you want to go to war with people,\u201d Cooke said. \u201cAnd I see Jordy is hyping me up to play good defense, and I\u2019m seeing her do the same thing. I feed off that type of stuff. So this environment also helps me want to be a great defender.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Confidence<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another area of growth for Cooke is in her confidence. Cooke came into the 2026 season with a new level of confidence that was immediately visible to everyone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAs soon as she steps on the court, it\u2019s a different feel from Zia. Like she\u2019s not the same person no more,\u201d Horston told The IX Sports back on May 5. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Horston expanded on that ahead of their most recent home game: \u201cEven during training camp, she just walked into this role with a confidence, and with her shoulders pushed back and her head held high, just owning it. She\u2019s really just stepping into this spotlight, like it\u2019s hers, because it is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some of that confidence Cooke credits to playing in Athletes Unlimited during the offseason, allowing her to play with and against players like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/c\/charlti01w.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.theixsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-05-31_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Tina Charles<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/a\/atkinar01w.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.theixsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-05-31_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Ariel Atkins<\/a>. Cooke <a href=\"https:\/\/auprosports.com\/basketball\/athletes\/zia-cooke\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">averaged<\/a> 16.4 points on 39.4% shooting, 3.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game during the 2026 AU season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHonestly, it just reminded me of who I was and just not losing that,\u201d Cooke said on media day. \u201cIt just felt good. \u2026 To be able to play against these people that are in the position that I want to be in eventually and to see that I can perform at a high level against a lot of pro athletes, it just shows me that I\u2019m not here for no reason.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Cooke said the biggest thing for her this offseason was working on the mental side.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe ball goes in when you\u2019re just mentally happy. Everything works out when you\u2019re just mentally in a good space, and that\u2019s what I\u2019m trying to find,\u201d Cooke said on media day. \u201cThat\u2019s the Zia that I want to see: just smiling, being happy, being appreciative of each and every opportunity, just seeing the ball go in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-attachment-id=\"50057\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/the-ix-basketball-newsroom\/wnba\/seattle-storm\/how-seattle-is-allowing-zia-to-cooke\/attachment\/wnba-connecticut-sun-at-seattle-storm-3\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/USATSI_29035705-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;John Froschauer-Imagn Images&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS R3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;May 22, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke (7) reacts after scoring against the Connecticut Sun during the first half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Froschauer-Imagn Images&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1779504941&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;John Froschauer&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;187&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;2500&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0004&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;WNBA: Connecticut Sun at Seattle Storm&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WNBA: Connecticut Sun at Seattle Storm\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke celebrates scoring against the Connecticut Sun during the first half at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. on May 22, 2026. (Photo Credit: John Froschauer | Imagn Images)&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/USATSI_29035705-1024x683.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/USATSI_29035705-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke bobs her head up and down celebrating hitting a shot.\" class=\"wp-image-50057\"  \/>Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke celebrates scoring against the Connecticut Sun during the first half at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash., on May 22, 2026. (Photo Credit: John Froschauer | Imagn Images)<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That mental work has looked like dialing in with herself, reading the Bible and talking with her mom and family about life. Coming into the WNBA and not playing much was a huge shift for Cooke, who was a four-year starter at South Carolina, and feeling like she couldn\u2019t contribute put a toll on her. Playing overseas presented new difficulties.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI had to sit with myself a lot of times when things just weren\u2019t going my way, and it was just like, what are you going to do about it? You\u2019re going to sit up and cry, or you\u2019re going to figure it out,\u201d Cooke told The IX Sports. \u201cIt\u2019s just a process, and once you find the beauty in your process and accept it, things usually go your way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, Cooke knows that the W is often a mental test that she can\u2019t let win.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJust not getting too high, not getting too low,\u201d Cooke explained, is key to maintaining her confidence after her career-high scoring night. \u201cI got to make sure that I\u2019m on my A-game at all times, controlling what I can control, and being where my feet are at. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve learned a lot within these last three to four years \u2026 understanding I can\u2019t control what people do. I only can control what I do. So that\u2019s making sure I\u2019m in the gym, getting my work in, keeping my head high, no matter if it\u2019s going good or going bad, and then just be ready when my opportunity comes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong>Rep The IX Sports at your next game! <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/the-ix-sports.myshopify.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"50185\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/?attachment_id=50185\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/unisex-premium-sweatshirt-black-zoomed-in-69d805eea2e49.webp\" data-orig-size=\"2000,2000\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"unisex-premium-sweatshirt-black-zoomed-in-69d805eea2e49\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/unisex-premium-sweatshirt-black-zoomed-in-69d805eea2e49-1024x1024.webp\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/unisex-premium-sweatshirt-black-zoomed-in-69d805eea2e49-1024x1024.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-50185 size-full\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shop the logo collection or special \u201cWomen\u2019s Sports are Front Page News\u201d collection now on Shopify.<\/p>\n<p>Building a relationship with Raman<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cooke\u2019s relationship with Raman has also been key to her confidence level. On media day, Cooke praised Raman for being a calm, understanding, and realistic person. She also said Raman is the first coach she\u2019s had in the WNBA whose film sessions were more positive than negative, and that Raman brought life into rooms.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOne thing I\u2019ve been saying my whole time in the W is I want to build a relationship with a coach, I want to watch film with a coach, I want to just feel like a coach believes in me, and I think she\u2019s a true definition of that, so I\u2019m super grateful to be here,\u201d Cooke said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It helped that Raman began building her relationship with Cooke in the offseason. As soon as she was hired, Cooke said Raman made sure to contact her and visit her at AU. In Nashville, the pair went out for food, had transparent conversations and watched film together.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That level of care, the little things, has shown Cooke that Raman is a woman of her word and that when Raman says she believes in her, she really means it. Cooke shared a recent example where Raman was on her all of practice, saying she wasn\u2019t in the nail, and Cooke responded that she was certain she was. Cooke suggested going back to watch the film, and Raman did. Shortly after practice, Raman texted her guard that she was right; she was in the nail.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s just stuff like that, for a coach to even be able to take accountability and put their pride aside and just let their player know that they was right. That means a lot,\u201d Cooke said. \u201cThat means a lot to me, just the relationship that we\u2019re building. I\u2019m proud of it, and I\u2019m gonna go to work for her every night, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Raman told media that she thinks building those kinds of relationships is really important in her role as a head coach but also just in how she is wired as a person. She is also doing that by getting to know them off the court, connecting with players about what is important to them, what they did on their off day, anything that builds that relationship. Those conversations help on the court.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt allows for the basketball conversations to happen a little bit more smoothly, and it helps build trust,\u201d Raman said. \u201cI feel like I can push Zia really hard because there is that level of trust, and she knows that my approach to her and to all the players is I want to put them in positions to succeed and positions to be able to help impact winning for the organization.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"50113\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/eo1_4445\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/EO1_4445.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1984,2481\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Emma Ottosen&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS R3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1779477724&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;86&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1600&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.000625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"EO1_4445\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke shoots over Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers in a game at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. on May 22, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Seattle Storm)&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/EO1_4445-819x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/EO1_4445-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke shoots a 3-pointer over Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers who is high-fiving Cooke after the ball left her hands in an attempt to block the shot.\" class=\"wp-image-50113\"  \/>Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke shoots over Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers in a game at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash., on May 22, 2026. (Photo credit: Seattle Storm)<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cooke is happy to be coached hard by Raman because she is not yelling at her.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s a difference between yelling and just telling me what I need,\u201d Cooke said. \u201cThat\u2019s what I like about her the most, is that she can have a conversation; she doesn\u2019t have to scream or yell for you to do something. \u2026 Just tell me what I need to do. I want to do exactly what is needed from me for the team, so just let me know what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Raman also knows how important confidence is for professional basketball players as a whole. Hoping that players start with some intrinsic self-belief, she sees the coach\u2019s role as just adding to it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re additive, but sometimes, you know, you miss a few shots, and you can start to doubt, or to second-guess,\u201d Raman said. \u201cI think that\u2019s where we have to come in and make sure that we let them know if our process led to a really good shot, and it doesn\u2019t go in, I\u2019m not going to change my opinion about the fact that I thought that was a really good shot. And I\u2019m going to encourage her to continue to shoot it, continue to make plays.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having that belief in her players also means coaching them really hard in practice to understand what the reads are so that she doesn\u2019t have to overmanage in games. And then it\u2019s understanding that mistakes will happen and \u201carmchair quarterbacking\u201d won\u2019t really help them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s understanding that with freedom there will be some mistakes or some things that happen that we would have preferred to happen differently,\u201d Raman said. \u201cUnderstanding what those are, processing those, and then kind of moving forward and keeping the expectations about things that are really controllable \u2014 the effort, the energy, the unselfishness. Those are the things that they can bring all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-fl-body-bg-background-color has-background has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Order \u2018Rare Gems\u2019 and save 30%<br \/><\/strong><br \/>Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The IX Basketball and The IX Sports, wrote this deeply reported book. \u201cRare Gems\u201d follows four connected generations of women\u2019s basketball pioneers, from Elvera \u201cPeps\u201d Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.<\/p>\n<p>If you enjoy Megdal\u2019s coverage of women\u2019s basketball every Wednesday at The IX Sports, you will love \u201cRare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.\u201d <a data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/rare-gems-the-ix\" href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/rare-gems-the-ix\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Click the link below to order<\/a> and enter <strong>MEGDAL30<\/strong> at checkout to save 30%!<\/p>\n<p>Support from teammates<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Knowing how important confidence is to all players, Cooke\u2019s confidence is also bolstered by her teammates, each in their own individual ways.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hiedeman considers Cooke one of her best friends on the team and just consistently communicates with her on and off the court.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have a really close relationship, but just telling her, like, \u2018If it\u2019s two on you, somebody\u2019s open\u2019 \u2026 just communicating through things,\u201d Hiedeman said. \u201cShe\u2019s really eager to learn and wants to be on the floor. So she\u2019s really good at being coachable, not only by the coaches but teammates as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-attachment-id=\"50107\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/wnba-connecticut-sun-at-seattle-storm-5\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/USATSI_29036741-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;John Froschauer-Imagn Images&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;X-H2&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;May 22, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Storm guard Flau'jae Johnson (4) and Seattle Storm guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) and Seattle Storm guard Zia Cooke (7) celebrate after playing the Connecticut Sun at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Froschauer-Imagn Images&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1779509009&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;John Froschauer&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;24&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;3200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;WNBA: Connecticut Sun at Seattle Storm&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WNBA: Connecticut Sun at Seattle Storm\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Seattle Storm guards Flau\u2019jae Johnson, Natisha Hiedeman and Zia Cooke celebrate after defeating the Connecticut Sun at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. on May 22, 2026. (Photo Credit: John Froschauer | Imagn Images)&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/USATSI_29036741-1024x683.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/USATSI_29036741-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Flau'jae Johnson is on the far left, jumping up and down screaming in celebration while Natisha Hiedeman screams and hugs Zia Cooke's shoulders. Cooke shyly celebrates and holds her fists by her chin.\" class=\"wp-image-50107\"  \/>Seattle Storm guards Flau\u2019jae Johnson, Natisha Hiedeman and Zia Cooke celebrate after defeating the Connecticut Sun at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash., on May 22, 2026. (Photo Credit: John Froschauer | Imagn Images)<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cooke says Hiedeman has helped her in many ways, including with reads on the court and with embracing her role as the first player off the bench. Hiedeman brings the experience of someone who was in that role in Minnesota just last year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe put in perspective for me that \u2026 I could go chase being sixth player of the year and taking pride in that position,\u201d Cooke said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Melbourne likes to just constantly remind Cooke of her talent and importance to the team. It\u2019s a unique support she sees team-wide,\u00a0everyone being genuinely happy for each other, rather than something like being jealous over minutes. Melbourne, for example, said she went home after Cookie\u2019s 25-point outing and watched the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TrRTP6LVliI\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">highlights<\/a> because it was just so fun to see her teammate ball out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Horston, who basically grew up playing basketball with Cooke in Ohio, said the duo is always in each other\u2019s ears no matter what.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"905\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"50105\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/20260520_vs-connecticut_first-half_fs-14-copy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.theixsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260520_vs-Connecticut_First-Half_FS-14-copy-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2262,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M4&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1779306002&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;133&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;2000&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.000625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"20260520_vs Connecticut_First Half_FS-14 copy\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Seattle Storm guards Zia Cooke and Jordan Horston celebrate on the sideline during the game against Connecticut Sun on May 20, 2026 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. (Photo courtesy of Seattle Storm)&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/20260520_vs-Connecticut_First-Half_FS-14-copy-905x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/20260520_vs-Connecticut_First-Half_FS-14-copy-905x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Zia Cooke holds 3-point finger guns on both sides by her hips while Jordan Horston points a 3-point finger gun with her left hand, celebrating on the bench.\" class=\"wp-image-50105\"  \/>Seattle Storm guards Zia Cooke and Jordan Horston celebrate on the sideline during the game against Connecticut Sun on May 20, 2026, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. (Photo courtesy of Seattle Storm)<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat\u2019s my friend first, so I\u2019m always going to be there for her, wherever, whatever she needs,\u201d Horston told The IX Sports. \u201cIf that\u2019s encouragement, if that\u2019s we just need to sit together, that\u2019s what I\u2019m going to do because that\u2019s my dawg.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Leadership<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the first days of training camp, Raman told Cooke that she was enjoying Cooke\u2019s leadership and wanted to continue to see it. To Cooke, it felt crazy to hear Raman say that.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn a way, this is my fourth year, but to be honest, I feel like it\u2019s only my second because Seattle is the only place that\u2019s really ever given me a chance,\u201d Cooke said on media day. \u201cBut I do see myself jumping into that leadership role \u2026 helping lead the younger ones to get to where they want to be as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Early on, that looked like telling all of the rookies to be confident because Cooke feels she came into the league with that confidence, but then it started to wane the more that things didn\u2019t go her way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo matter what it looks like for you, no matter how your journey might go \u2014 it might go a way that you never expected \u2014 don\u2019t ever lose that confidence,\u201d Cooke said on media day of the advice she\u2019s given. \u201cDon\u2019t let anybody take that confidence away from you because you were drafted here for a reason. I don\u2019t ever want to see them put their heads down because I did that a lot, and that\u2019s not something that I think was good for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The lessons Cooke has learned in her own journey seem to have benefited at least one of the rookies, as Flau\u2019jae Johnson praised Cooke after her career-high 17-point performance came in the same game as Cooke\u2019s career-high 25 points.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe\u2019s very confident, and I learned that from her, just to like be confident,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cShots fall, no matter what, she plays hard on defense. She\u2019s a pro\u2019s pro.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cooke has also taken on the role of the leader of the \u201cgray squad,\u201d aka the bench unit that wears gray pennies in practice. Hiedeman has made sure Cooke understands that when she is on the court with the gray squad, she is its leader: \u201cThat\u2019s your team, you got to lead them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think now she sees that she\u2019s the leader of the gray squad,\u201d Hiedeman said. \u201cIt\u2019s the same position that I\u2019ve been in, and it starts and ends with you, so she\u2019s really just taken that on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same lesson Cooke has tried to impart to her rookies is what she wants everyone to know: that your journey is your journey. It is what she is currently trying to teach her nephew, who wants to have a career in boxing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI just want people to know that I never gave up,\u201d Cooke said. \u201cYour career is going to be your career at the end of the day. So don\u2019t even get your hopes up thinking that everything\u2019s going to go perfect for you, because it\u2019s not. You\u2019ve got to take those proper steps to become the person that you want to be, and you\u2019ll be tested.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI just want to let younger generations know that it\u2019ll pay off for you, just don\u2019t quit. If you don\u2019t quit, you\u2019re going to be just fine. You\u2019ve just got to keep that drive to want to be great, and it will all happen for you; no matter when it happens, it will.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Monumental Sports and Entertainment, the group that owns the Washington Mystics, holds a minority stake in The IX Basketball. The IX Basketball\u2019s editorial operations are entirely independent of Monumental and all other business partners.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tRelated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SEATTLE \u2014 It has become an increasingly common occurrence at Climate Pledge Arena: Storm guard Zia Cooke scores,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":835843,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[49],"tags":[71566,313393,27272,1494,163944,62,67,132,68,232,45506],"class_list":["post-835842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wnba","tag-jade-melbourne","tag-jordan-horston","tag-natisha-hiedeman","tag-seattle-storm","tag-sonia-raman","tag-sports","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-us","tag-wnba","tag-zia-cooke"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116672437704712209","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/835842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=835842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/835842\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/835843"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=835842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=835842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=835842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}