22-game slate at IMG Academy begins July 25 BRADENTON, FLA. -- Announced today, the three-time WNBA champion Seattle Storm will tip off its 21st season offered by Symetra at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. From July 25 with Sept. 11, more than fifty percent of the Storm 22-game schedule will be nationally televised on ESPN, ABC or CBS Sports Network. The Tornado's neighborhood broadcast timetable will be shared at a later day. One of the most enhanced professional franchise in Seattle will start its pursuit to redeem the WNBA title on July 25 when the Tornado opens up the WNBA season on July 25 versus No. 1 total draft choice Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty. The Tornado will certainly start its 21st period reinforced by the return of 2018 WNBA MVP and Finals MVP Breanna Stewart and the WNBA all-time aids leader Sue Bird after both were sidelined in 2019 to due injury. The team core also includes reigning Defensive Player of the Year Natasha Howard; corresponding All-Defensive First and Junior varsity honorees Jordin Canada and Alysha Clark; and 2019 All-Star starting guard Jewell Loyd. 2019 Tornado first-round draft pick Ezi Magbegor will make her WNBA launching with the Storm in 2020, after winning her 2nd WNBL Youth Player of the Year honor in three periods playing in Australia. In the off-season, the Tornado additionally added WNBA expert guard Epiphanny Prince and Morgan Tuck, a previous UConn colleague of Breanna Stewart. Seattle's 2018 title-winning head instructor, Dan Hughes, will not join the team in Florida for the 2020 season. A medical analysis by the league, in appointment with his key medical professional established that Hughes could be at greater threat for serious health problem from COVID-19. Gary Kloppenburg, a veteran member of the Storm training personnel, represented head instructor for the 2020 season. Kloppenburg was an assistant train for the Tornado in 2000-2002 and returned in 2017. He formerly worked as the Storm's acting head train in the 2017 and 2019 periods. A crucial facet of the period will certainly be a commitment to social justice reform. Breanna Stewart will offer on the newly-formed WNBA/WNBPA Social Justice Council to carry out The WNBA Social Justice Activity efforts. As just recently released in a joint statement by the WNBA and Female's National Basketball Players Association: "In its inaugural season, the Social Justice Council will certainly grow assigned rooms for neighborhood conversations, online roundtables, player-produced podcasts, and various other activations to address this country's lengthy history of inequality, implicit predisposition and systemic bigotry that has targeted black and brownish areas. With a deliberate strategy to inform, enhance and activate for action, the WNBA and the WNBPA will certainly concentrate on engaging teachers, lobbyists, neighborhood and magnate with players, team and league personnel, and fans. "

What to Watch ForFive Storm video games will certainly be telecasted nationally on ESPN including the WNBA season opener versus the New York Liberty https://www.storemercury.com/collections/bella-murekatete-jersey. Opening weekend will certainly be committed to the Black Lives Matter motion. The Tornado tackles the WNBA all-time racking up leader Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury on ABC on Aug. 8 at 3 p. m. Eastern. Seattle will additionally liquidate its 2020 regular-season campaign on CBS Sports Network on Sept. 11 at 10 p. m. Eastern against the competing Mercury. Victors of the 2018 WNBA title, Seattle will play both of last period's WNBA Finalists in across the country relayed video games-- facing ruling champions Washington on July 30 at 6 p. m. Eastern on ESPN and Connecticut on Aug. 4 at 9 p. m. Eastern on ESPN2. After removing Minnesota in the preliminary of the 2019 postseason, the Tornado will play Novice of the Year Napheesa Collier and the https://www.storemercury.com/collections/celeste-taylor-jersey four-time champ Lynx on July 28 on CBS Sports to return to the wood stronger than ever before, the Storm welcomes you to be a component of a period unlike any kind of other by signing up with the Champions Club. Get 3 deliveries of personalized Tornado gear and costs product that you can't locate anywhere else-- plus, stay linked to the gamers and trains with virtual events.