SEATTLE — The Seattle Storm stormed back to claim a thrilling 77-70 win over the Phoenix Mercury in their 2025 home opener at Climate Pledge Arena on Friday night.
The Storm trailed 42-44 at the half but surged ahead behind a dynamic second-half performance, outscoring the Mercury 35-26 to seal the win in front of a packed home crowd.
Skylar Diggins was electric, notching a career-high 14 assists — tying a franchise record — to go along with 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. Diggins’ steady play helped the Storm control the tempo and edge out Phoenix in the closing minutes.
Veteran forward Nneka Ogwumike matched Diggins with 24 points of her own, adding 8 rebounds and a strong presence on both ends of the floor. The pair combined for 48 of Seattle’s 77 points.
Rookie Dominique Malonga, the WNBA’s No. 2 overall pick, recorded her first points at home, thrilling fans with her energy and hustle in limited minutes. The packed arena gave her a loud ovation as she made her mark in her Climate Pledge Arena debut.
Seattle held Phoenix to just 9 points in the fourth quarter, showcasing defensive grit and late-game execution. Bench production and points off turnovers played a crucial role, with the Storm converting 18 points off Mercury turnovers and winning the fast-break battle 8-7.
At halftime, fans were treated to a special performance by Seattle’s own Massive Monkees, bringing even more energy to an already electric atmosphere.
The Storm improve to 1-1 on the season and now look ahead to a marquee matchup on Sunday, May 25, when they host the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces.
Tip-off is at 3 p.m. on KOMO 4 and CW Seattle, with a special Seattle Refined pregame show airing at 2:30 p.m.
FINAL SCORE:
Seattle Storm 77, Phoenix Mercury 70
Seattle Leaders:
Skylar Diggins — 24 PTS, 14 AST
Nneka Ogwumike — 24 PTS, 8 REB
Dominique Malonga — 1st points at home
Let the Storm surge begin.
