July 17, 2024
‘The pinnacle’: Seattle Storm’s Team Australia contingent talks Olympics
By Bella Munson
Sami Whitcomb: 'We believe in ourselves'
SEATTLE — Representing one’s country at the Olympics is something most athletes only ever dream about, but for Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb that dream is coming true this summer despite remarkably different paths. Magbegor, just 24 years old, is heading to her second Olympic Games with Australia while Whitcomb, who is ten years older, has been selected for her very first.
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“I’m really excited, it’s something I’ve been working for for a long time,” Whitcomb told The Next. “Obviously, the Olympics for a lot of people, for everybody, it’s sort of the pinnacle, so you’re always really, I think excited, relieved, all of the things when you do get selected.”
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While Magbegor was drafted and began playing in the WNBA at a very young age, Whitcomb went undrafted after graduating from the University of Washington in 2010. The Husky kept playing but didn’t make a WNBA roster until she signed with the Seattle Storm in 2017 as a 29-year-old rookie, the same year she applied for Australian citizenship.
Magbegor pointed out that Sami Whitcomb’s story of resilience both embodies her value to the team as well as why her selection is particularly special.
“This has been her dream for a long time, so I’m just really proud of her for getting there,” Magbegor told The Next. “And she’s someone that you need on your team, you want on your team, there’s no one like Sami. So I’m just glad she’s with us. She’s gonna be a real force for us at the Olympics.”
Her mentality and passion stand out the most to the young player. “She’s always the hardest worker in whatever room you’re in, and I think she’s really worked hard to get where she is and she’s gonna just capitalize on the opportunity. She’s a big part of our team, of our process.”
Since finally joining the WNBA, Whitcomb has carved out a consistent role for herself as a sharp-shooting pesky defender providing sparks off the bench.
The naturalized Australian citizen also brings a wealth of experience, even if it is not Olympic experience. The two-time WNBA champion and World Cup bronze and silver medalist has plenty of experience in key moments.
“I think the more experience you have, when you’re in those big moments they don’t feel as overwhelming,” Whitcomb said. “You can kind of just be yourself still and just play through them. So hopefully, I bring that, and some leadership with that experience.”
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Young player, big role for Australia
Magbegor, the 6’4 center, will be an important piece of the Opals team looking to medal in the Olympics for the first time since 2012. Whitcomb likened Magbegor’s role with Australia to what she does for the Storm.
“She’s just so tough on both ends of the floor. She’s super reliable on both ends of the floor. I know we’re incredibly confident when we have her out there,” Whitcomb said. “And I just look for her to be even more aggressive and assertive the way I think you’ve seen her be in the WNBA this year… I expect that from her for us at the Olympics.”
Magbegor knows her teammates want her to be more aggressive as she takes on a bigger role but she also doesn’t want to put too much pressure on it.
“I feel like we love to play team basketball, too, so I’m just going to do what I can for the team in whatever way that is,” Magbegor said.
Though Magbegor will be playing in her second Olympics this will be the first time her family gets to see her do so in person because fans weren’t allowed in Tokyo
“I feel like I’m really excited for the fact that my family can come and watch me play at an Olympic Games. I feel like that’s been their dream just as much as mine,” Magbegor said.
The same is true for Whitcomb’s son, Nash, who is a frequent spectator at Whitcomb’s WNBA games.
“I think anytime you’re experiencing something amazing you want to share with people that you love the most, the people who have helped you get there, and I think it just provides perspective,” Whitcomb said.
As one of three mothers on the team alongside Cayla George and Lauren Jackson, the experience is different for Whitcomb but incredibly meaningful. It is something George and Whitcomb always talk about, how being moms has changed them and their perspective on things.
“It provides a beautiful balance when you’re in those tournaments too. And [when] it feels like you can’t get away from the basketball for a moment you look into your kid’s eyes or you play with them, or whatever, and it sort of gives you that perspective and that balance as well,” Whitcomb said. “But that’s what it’s all about. You just want to inspire kids and be good role models for them.”
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Australia looking to medal
In Tokyo, the Opals were knocked out of the tournament in the quarterfinals and there is still considerable disappointment around that finish. This time around, the team is determined to seriously compete for a medal.
“Obviously, it’s game by game, so not putting too much pressure on ourselves, but I think we just want to get back to the podium,” Magbegor said. “I think we all have high expectations of ourselves.”
The goal is to medal but there is a strong belief that they can go for a first-ever gold if they stick to their identity.
“We believe in ourselves. We believe that we’re one of the best teams in the world and we want to go and win gold,” Whitcomb said. “So I think we’re just focusing on being who we’ve been every time we come together. I think we really pride ourselves on being a defensive team, a gritty team, a tough team, a team that plays together.”
Beyond the current Seattle roster, there are ample additional Storm connections to this Australian team. Jade Melbourne was selected by the Storm in the 2022 WNBA Draft and played her rookie season in 2023 with Seattle before being traded to the Washington Mystics right before the 2024 season began. Steph Talbot, now with the LA Sparks, played in Seattle in 2021 and 2022 when the club was trying to win one more championship for Sue Bird. Both players thus had more time to build chemistry with Magbegor, while Melbourne also overlapped with Whitcomb.
And then there’s Lauren Jackson, the No. 1 overall pick of the Storm in 2001 who spent her entire WNBA career in Seattle, winning Championships and MVP accolades, until retiring because of injury. Jackson is set to play in her first Olympic Games since 2012, which is also the last time Australia medaled in the event.
Beyond those players, the squad also features WNBA players Rebecca Allen, Kristy Wallace, and Alanna Smith. The large contingent coming from America always catch up when they play each other in the league and Magbegor thinks that the chemistry of this unit is a strength of the Opals squad.
“I feel like our chemistry is really good,” Magbegor said. “Even though we’re kind of everywhere throughout the year, but I feel like we do a great job of having touch points throughout the year.”
“I love the group that we have and [am] really excited to compete with them,” Whitcomb said.
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Written by Bella Munson
Bella has been a contributor for The Next since September 2023 and is the site's Seattle Storm beat reporter. She also writes for The Equalizer while completing her Journalism & Public Interest Communication degree at the University of Washington.
