To My Seattle Family

Storm family and friends,

They say that relationships and experiences can be described in one of three ways: a season, a reason, or a lifetime.

But Seattle will forever be the exception. It’s all three — a season (10 to be exact), a reason (growth and perseverance), and a lifetime of memories that I will hold close for the rest of my life.

To think that 2015 was 10 years ago feels … surreal. I was a wide-eyed draft pick, heading to the West Coast, eager to make my mark. Seattle took a chance on the kid, and I’ll be forever grateful for that. What I didn’t know then — but I certainly know now — is that this city would become so much more than a stop along my journey. This city became home, and you, the fans, became one of the reasons I pushed so hard.

From my first time walking through Pike Place Market to the countless trips to Molly Moon’s ice cream and the late-night meals at How to Cook a Wolf (shoutout to Ethan Stowell), the good times seemed endless.

But it isn’t just the everyday moments that have stuck with me; it was the ones that defined my career. Game 5 of the 2014 semis against Phoenix, when the DJ cut the music but the whole stadium kept singing — I still get chills when I think about that game (yet another realization the fans really live and breathe Storm basketball). From scoring my two first points in the WNBA to watching two championship banners go up — those defining moments will always remind me of how far we’ve come together.

Thank you for every chant and cheer, every ounce of energy you brought to each game, and for believing in me every step of the way. Though my chapter with the Storm has come to an end, Seattle will always be a part of me.

I’m proud of what we accomplished together, and I’m beyond grateful for the chance to play in front of this unbelievable fan base. This isn’t goodbye but a new chapter, one where I’ll continue to carry the spirit of Seattle with me wherever I go.

With love and gratitude,

Jewell Loyd (Gold Mamba)