Storm

We’ve talked a lot about the direct links the Storm has to the Beijing Games — Sue Bird (Team USA), Kelly Santos (Brazil) and Lauren Jackson (Australia). But there’s also a face from the past in Natalia Vodopyanova (Russia) and Suzy Batkovic (Australia), who were both signed as free agents in 2005 by former coach Anne Donovan, who is leading Team USA.
Neither Batkovic nor Vodopyanova were happy with their roles in Seattle, deciding not to return to the WNBA after one season. But the Storm retains their rights if either wants to play in the league again.
Vodopyanova, a 6-foot-2 forward who is a key piece to the Russian team, appeared in 17 Storm games, averaging 1.5 points. Batkovic, a bruising 6-5 center, played in 29 games and averaged 6.9 points on 43.7 percent shooting from the field.
Be sure to watch out for them, too, as the women’s basketball competition begins on Saturday.