With the Storm pulling away late Wednesday to defeat the WNBA-leading Las Vegas Aces 88-78, Seattle level guard Sue Fowl notched her 324th profession victory and have become the winningest participant in league historical past, in accordance with ESPN Stats & Data analysis.
Fowl, who introduced earlier this month that this shall be her closing WNBA season, surpassed retired level guard Lindsay Whalen (323). Fowl and Whalen are the lone two gamers in league historical past to play in no less than 300 wins. Rebekkah Brunson and Swin Money, the latter of whom performed 4 seasons in Seattle with Fowl, are tied for third at 294.
As a result of all of these gamers break up their careers amongst a number of groups, Fowl has a good greater lead over Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury (279) for many wins with a single WNBA franchise.
“That is superb,” mentioned Storm coach Noelle Quinn, who performed with Fowl earlier than retiring and becoming a member of the staff’s teaching employees. “She would in all probability say it is as a result of she’s outdated. That is at all times the response. Simply the longevity of an incredible participant to have such influence on the sport.
“It is not solely the assists with Sue, it is making massive performs, the large photographs. I believed she performed nice protection tonight. These intangibles that she brings, but in addition: She’s the GOAT, an incredible participant with an extended profession and deserving of each single document she’s about to interrupt as a result of she’s performed 20-something years.”
Certainly, Fowl downplayed the accomplishment — like she did when she grew to become the WNBA’s all-time chief in video games and minutes performed, becoming a member of the assists document she broke in 2017 — as a product of the 19 seasons she has performed since being drafted by Seattle No. 1 out of Connecticut again in 2002. She famous that Whalen achieved the document in fewer video games (480 to Fowl’s 564).
Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon, who was taking part in for the opposing New York Liberty in Fowl’s WNBA debut (a Storm loss), gave Fowl extra credit score.
“It says she’s been on plenty of good groups for a really very long time,” Hammon mentioned. “She’s at all times the pinnacle of the snake — I imply that in a great way. She is who she is for a purpose. She simply repeatedly makes the appropriate play, no matter that’s.”
Seattle’s robust fourth quarter, powered by 11 factors from Jewell Loyd and eight from Breanna Stewart, overshadowed the Storm debut of former WNBA MVP Tina Charles. Charles, who signed with Seattle as a free agent on Tuesday after reaching a contract buyout with the Mercury, got here off the bench for the primary time in her WNBA profession.
In accordance with ESPN Stats & Data analysis, Charles had began extra video games to start her profession (373) than some other participant in league historical past earlier than coming off the bench for the primary time. Charles surpassed Whalen’s former teammate Seimone Augustus, who began her first 363 video games earlier than coming off the bench in 2019.
Charles had 4 factors, 5 rebounds, 1 help and 1 steal in 16 minutes in her debut.
Finally, the evening belonged to Fowl, whose milestone was far greater than her 13 factors and 6 assists in 25 minutes.
“She’s a winner,” Loyd summed it up.
