BASKETBALL
WNBA
BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
POSSESSING the worst record in the WNBA, Traralgon’s Jade Melbourne has found wins difficult this season with the Seattle Storm, despite undertaking a career-best year individually.
Victorious in just seven of its 37 games , the Storm has two lengthy losing streaks to its name in 2026, most recently lasting a month.
Seattle finally broke an 11-game losing run, which lasted from July 9 to August 8, by defeating the Chicago Sky by nine points at home (Climate Pledge Arena) on August 10.
Melbourne scored nine points, grabbed three rebounds and dished out an assist in the win, but was however fouled out.
Traralgon’s own has been a consistent starter this season, featuring as the lead guard for the Storm on 26 occasions so far, especially due to a number of injuries to key teammates.
The top of that injury list is fellow Australian Opal, Ezi Magbegor, who’s only played nine games this season, firstly dealing with a problem to her foot before returning and then suffering a facial fracture from an inadvertent elbow.
Subsequently, with the added responsibility, Melbourne is sporting career-highs across the board, with averages of 9.3 points, 3.9 assists and just under two rebounds per game.
In a close seven-point loss to the Portland Fire on August 8, Melbourne posted the best numbers of her WNBA career, with 23 points and five assists, hitting four three-pointers on the night.
Seattle narrowly missed out on consecutive wins at the weekend, succumbing to the Fire (in a back-to-back for the two sides) and the Chicago Sky each by two points.
The most recent losing streak of 11 games followed another to begin the season, where the Storm also lost 11 in a row.
