Storm hope Brittney Sykes, Erica Wheeler can be X-factors against Aces

Brittney Sykes and Erica Wheeler had nothing to do with the Storm’s loss to the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA playoffs last year, but they could be the X-factors in Seattle extracting revenge when the teams meet once again in the postseason.

A year ago, Seattle ran out of gas — especially in the fourth quarter of Game 1 while scoring two points on 1-for-12 field goal shooting — during a pair of road losses, which resulted in a sooner-than-expected postseason exit.

Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams and Ezi Magbegor return while the noticeable difference in the Storm’s revamped lineup is the addition of veterans Sykes and Wheeler.

“Me and Britt bring something different that they didn’t have last year,” Wheeler said. “We’re just doing our job. I think Britt is filling in very well. I’m doing my job off the bench, being able to bring that energy and that passion. So, I think it’s been good for us.”

When the Storm traded their 2026 first-round draft pick to the Washington Mystics for Sykes on Aug. 5, it signaled to the team and the rest of the league that Seattle was truly committed to the “All In” slogan it’s adopted this year.

At the time, the Storm were 16-14 and in sixth place in the standings. Despite the addition of the 2025 All-Star guard, Seattle went 7-7 and finished 23-21 in seventh place.

However, trading for Sykes will be worth it if the Storm can become the first lower-seeded WNBA team to advance to the semifinals since the league began a best-of-three first round series in 2022.

Game 1 is 7 p.m. Sunday at T-Mobile Arena, Game 2 is 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Climate Pledge Arena and the Aces host Game 3, if necessary.

“The mentality isn’t to get there, it’s to stay there,” Sykes said. “Yeah, we got into the playoffs, but that’s not enough. We want to stay there and we want to progress through each series. Right now, it’s Vegas. We got our first game on Sunday and then after Sunday, we’ll see what’s next.”

In seven games as a Storm starter, Sykes is averaging 11.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 38.6% on field goals. Her production has dipped slightly — 15.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals with the Mystics — due to her adjusting to a new team and schemes.

“This is something I wanted,” said Sykes, a nine-year veteran when asked about the trade weeks ago. “I’m thankful for my time in D.C., but I wanted a chance to play for a title. You don’t ever know when you’ll get that opportunity.

“There’s so much talent on this team that I feel like we have as good a chance as anybody. … I know I’ll need to make adjustments and have to get comfortable with things, but I expect to be clicking once the playoffs begin.”

Admittedly, it wasn’t easy for Wheeler to relinquish her starting role to Sykes when she arrived.

After a disappointing 2024 season with the Indiana Fever, Wheeler, a 10-year veteran, joined the Storm in free agency, filled the vacancy at shooting guard in the lineup and averaged 12.0 points in 24 games as a starter.

“I think most people shy away from it or get upset,” Wheeler said. “I had my moments. I’m not going to lie like it was easy breezy, because it wasn’t. I had my moments, but it just goes to show the world and myself that I’m still growing and being able to adjust to whatever’s thrown at me and just embrace it.”

Wheeler proved to be the catalyst in the Storm’s playoff-clinching 74-73 win against Golden State on Tuesday while tallying a team-high 17 points and scoring the game-winning shot in the final seconds.

“E is in a really good pocket right now,” Ogwumike said. “Both of them are really confident in their abilities and having that confidence to be able to take over moments is going to be really beneficial and ensuring that we can establish aggression in different ways.

“We have different capabilities from outside and inside. E stretching the floor for us and Slim (Sykes) cutting through the defense.”

In essence, Sykes and Wheeler have combined to replace six-time WNBA All-Star Jewell Loyd, who scored nine and six points, respectively, on 5-for-19 shooting during her final two games with the Storm in last year’s playoff series versus the Aces.

Loyd lobbied harassment and bullying complaints at the Storm coaching staff last season and was dealt to the Aces following an offseason trade request.

The battle between Loyd, who has recently thrived while coming off the bench, Sykes and Wheeler is one of the many intriguing storylines in this playoff series between Western Conference rivals.

“It changes things a lot to have two very good, perimeter defenders,” coach Noelle Quinn said. “E is shooting the three really well to give us versatility and to get Sky off the ball if necessary. … And then, there’s Slim and her ability to defend multiple positions and be athletic.

“One thing that we’ve really tried to be really successful with this year is our transition game and points and both those players are a part of that success. … I want to rely on Slim to get to the free-throw line a little bit more for us and she’s done that in the past few games. But those two in particular have filled some deficiencies that we had.”