The Seattle Storm are the subject of another WNBA complaint, the second within the last year.
On Wednesday, iHeart Radio’s Khristina Williams reported that the WNBA is reviewing a complaint that alleges that a Seattle staffer directed profanity towards a former player during a recent Storm-Las Vegas Aces matchup. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, For The Win can independently confirm a complaint was filed with the WNBA regarding a member of the Storm organization.
The latest complaint filed against Seattle is the second in as many as seven months, dating back to last year. So, how did we get here? Where did this all come from? We’re here to help you out. Here’s everything we know regarding the WNBA complaint filed against the Seattle Storm:
This is an ongoing story and will be updated as new information is made available.
When was the first complaint against the Seattle Storm?
In November of 2024, the Chicago Sun-Times revealed that Seattle’s coaching staff was under investigation for alleged player harassment and bullying related to on-court performance and incidents during practice and games. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, former guard Jewell Loyd reportedly made the complaint against the Storm.At the time, the allegations were reportedly about incidents during practices and games and were tied to the experiences of multiple players. Although not immediately clear if related, during the same period, starting guard Skylar Diggins also shared several cryptic posts to Instagram.
What did the investigation find?
Weeks later, in December 2024, the Storm announced that a third-party investigation team did not find any violations. Here’s what Seattle said via a statement to ESPN:
“The organization retained an outside investigator to conduct an impartial investigation into the allegations. The investigation has been completed and there were no findings of policy violations or any discrimination, harassment or bullying.”
“To protect the integrity of the process, and to preserve confidentiality, we chose not to comment while the investigation was ongoing. The Storm will continue to provide a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect.”
Was Jewell Loyd’s trade request related to the Storm’s investigation?
It remains unknown if the investigation into the Storm impacted Loyd’s decision to request a trade, but shortly after it concluded, Loyd requested to end her time with Seattle. In January, she eventually landed with the Las Vegas Aces via a three-team trade.
What’s different about this latest complaint?
Unlike the complaint from 2024, there isn’t an official investigation. Still, the WNBA is looking into the matter. Following a recent Aces-Storm game, there was allegedly a confrontation. A filed complaint alleges that a Seattle assistant coach cursed at an Aces player. The league is now reviewing the incident.