After a string of comeback performances, including one where they broke the Las Vegas Aces’ 17-game win streak, the Seattle Storm were eventually eliminated by A’ja Wilson and co as the team was just one win away from reaching the Semi-Finals. This marked another year, over the last 5 years, in which the team failed to make it to the Finals. Michael Jordan once said, “Accept a loss as a learning experience, and never point fingers at your teammates”. Well, fingers were pointed at Noelle Quinn, and change is now upon the Seattle Storm.

According to reports, the Seattle Storm announced on Sunday that the head coach will not return in 2026. In fact, as reporter Roberta F. Rodrigues highlighted, “Per sources, the whole Seattle Storm coaching staff has been dismissed. The franchise is seeking a complete renewal of the sideline.” The team soon released a statement, with general manager Talisa Rhea stating that “On behalf of our organization, I would like to thank Noelle for her time with the Storm. Her commitment to the ongoing success of our organization and to furthering the development of our players was second to none. She put us in a position to win at the highest levels of the game and for that, we are grateful.”

The Seattle Storm gave no direct reason why they decided to part ways with the HC. However, according to ‘High Post Hoops’, exit interviews with the Storm players made it clear that some of them, especially Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins, had a strong relationship with Quinn. However, others reportedly struggled under her leadership. The Storm was recently dogged by rumors of an uncontrolled locker room, as well as accusations of harassment and bullying against members of the coaching staff. Six-time WNBA All-Star Jewell Loyd had left the team after filing a complaint against the team’s coaches and moved on to the Las Vegas Aces.

The firing of coaches isn’t anything uncommon in the WNBA. After all, in the months leading up to the 2025 WNBA season, seven coaches were dismissed from WNBA teams like the Dallas Wings, the Washington Mystics, the Los Angeles Sparks, the Atlanta Dream, the Chicago Sky, and the Indiana Fever. When player performances do not go as expected, coaches face the blame. It is no secret that the Seattle Storm were inconsistent under Quinn’s leadership. This is the same team whose win record was 16-10 in 2021, 22-14 in 2022, 11-29 in 2023, and 25-15 in 2024. On top of that, fans reportedly complained that Quinn did little to maximize the veteran roster the Storm boasted in 2025.

While the entire blame for the Storm’s elimination at the hands of the Aces, and the 23-21 win record, cannot solely be placed on Quinn, her firing indicates that the buck has stopped with her, for now. Noelle Quinn’s exit may not be the first major change we see from the Seattle Storm in their ongoing postseason. After all, a loss of confidence might compel some key players to seek better opportunities elsewhere.

Lexie Brown and Gabby Williams Indicate A Potential Exit From Seattle Storm: “I don’t believe I got the opportunity”

In the aftermath of the Game 3 loss against the Las Vegas Aces, 30-year-old point guard/shooting guard Lexie Brown participated in a Q&A session with the media. During the session, she reportedly opted not to answer questions and only chose to say that she was healthy for most of the season, even though she got limited minutes from the team. This might be a reason why she wasn’t even willing to show a commitment to the Storm.

“I don’t believe I got the opportunity I deserved here,” said Brown.

Brown wasn’t the only one who was willing to discuss her future within the Seattle Storm franchise. During the post-game presser, Gabby Williams was asked, “if the core player is still an option for you, is that something you’d feel comfortable with given your relationship with this organization?” The Power Forward replied, “That’s…. in my head, that’s a bit far to think of right now. Right now, priority is just getting, you know, physically healthy, focusing on my season with Fenner, seeing what happens with our CBA. And so, free agency isn’t necessarily on like the top of my list right now to be thinking about”.

Lexie Brown certainly saw a major reduction in her playing minutes after she arrived at the Seattle Storm. The same player who had averaged 30.3 and 23.7 minutes back in 2023 and 2024 had averaged just 9.5 minutes in 24 games this season. Additionally, she started with zero games! Meanwhile, Gabby Williams seemed to have thrived with the Seattle Storm. She started in all 44 games she played in the 2025 regular season. On top of that, she averaged 11.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. Her points and assists averages were her career-highs. Despite that, neither of the two players was sure about their future within the team.

Noelle Quinn’s firing might catalyze a potential Lexie Brown and Gabby Williams exit, or a new coach might compel them to give the team another chance. Whatever happens next is something that remains to be seen and determined.