Storm’s duo of the future is making an impact now
Jordan Horston and Ezi Magbegor attempting to block Sparks guard Lexie Brown’s shot on June 11 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. (Photo by Rio Giancarlo)
From Storm coach Noelle Quinn to stars Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Jewell Loyd, they all are cognizant of the future of the Seattle Storm — Ezi Magbegor and Jordan Horston.
Not only are they the future of the franchise, but they’re making their impact on the present. The developing duo has been called many a thing, but a declaration of this magnitude stands out in a crowd of glowing remarks from future Hall of Famers — and they looked every bit of it Sunday night against the Atlanta Dream (7-16).
“Yeah,’ said a smiling Quinn. “What they did defensively first being locked in and what they’re doing offensively. These are young athletes doing great things early on in their careers, so if you think about the trajectory and possibilities, yeah. If they continue to get these reps together, the sky is the limit for both of those players who continue to log minutes and games together, with depth around them and whoever is on the court. They make those players better. That’s a scary lineup right there.”
Seattle hangs their hat on defense and allows it to fuel their offense. They’ve been dominant all season in this regard but even more so since Horston became a full-time starter. Since June 22, the Storm has averaged 18.2 points off turnovers per game, good for second in the WNBA and mere decimals away from the Connecticut Sun at first (18.5). Averaging 84.1 points per game (3rd in WNBA), nearly a fourth of their scoring comes in transition making the most of their opponents’ mistakes. Magbegor and Horston are huge in this space considering both can operate in the open court and get their own or set up a teammate, which they do for each other frequently.
From the onset until the horns sounded the end of regulation, their effectiveness never wavered. It grew stronger as the ebbs and flows of the game presented themselves.
Less than 30 seconds into the game, Horston collected her first steal. Around the 6:30 mark, she jumped a pass from Dream guard Haley Jones and converted on the other end for her first score. Since taking over the starting three spot, she’s in a three-way tie for the ninth-most steals in the league. She’s also had two consecutive games with three steals.
Horston’s primary defensive assignment was Dream All-Star guard Allisha Gray who went 1-for-6 in the first quarter. She finished at 4-for-12 for 12 points. After the game, Horston spoke with Storm color commentator Elise Woodward about defending the best opposing player every game.
“It’s a seatbelt game. Whoever’s in front of me, they’re getting locked up.”
While this can backed up with statistics, it’s more important that she believes this. Sure, everyone is supposed to have faith in their ability. It’s a different ballgame when it’s expected of you on a nightly basis.
Horston’s effectiveness is infectious and plays a role in Magbegor as well. Since Horston became a full-time starter, she and Magbegor have the sixth-highest defensive rating (90.9) among two-player lineups with at least 200 minutes played.
Horston is a 6-foot-2 forward who can defend quick-footed guards just as well as she can defend post players. Magbegor is a 6-foot-4 forward who can switch out on guards as efficiently as she can defend the rim. Their production on this side of the floor has given the Storm a new wind in many ways. Earlier this month, Horston admitted to funneling ball handlers to Magbegor because of how talented she is in blocking shots and denying space in the paint. In many words, the duo has been phenomenal and plays a key role in the team’s process.
Efficient scoring was hard to come by in the first quarter but Magbegor and Horston answered the call, going a combined 7-for-7 for 14 of Seattle’s 24 points. The rest of the team went 3-for-13. At the end of the game, they shot a combined 16-22 and 34 points, nearly half of the team’s scoring output.
A highlight of the first quarter that continued throughout the game was Horston’s vision and finding Magbegor in her spots. All three of Horston’s assists of the night went to her.
At the 4:30 mark, their connection was on display when Horston found Magbegor calling for it and finished with a turnaround jumper.
Early in the third quarter, Horston found a cutting Magbegor again.
With 3:42 left in the fourth, Horston made a run to the rim and got Magbegor making herself available for a layup.
Their connectivity shows up in other ways in the game. From rallying around each other after a questionable call to motivating each other when need be, they have each other’s backs no matter the circumstance.
“I think just taking advantage of opportunities when we’re on the floor together, which is a lot of the time,” said Magbegor. “I think learning each other as well. Building a connection off the court with your teammate is really important and I think we do a great job of that as a team. Just building that chemistry and I feel like it transfers very easily for our team on the floor. Just knowing where Jordan is going to be or where Nneka is going to be or where Jewell is going to be, obviously, that’s very important to us. I feel like Jordan and I have built that chemistry by playing together like us. There’s still a long way to go, but I’m really happy.”
“Me too,” said Horston after Magbegor said she was happy with their development. “Ezi’s amazing.”
Jordan Horston and Ezi Magbegor smiling after complimenting each other’s hard word and dedication to their craft as teammates. (Photos from Seattle Storm)
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