Last Updated on August 2, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
The Seattle Storm centered their 2006 season around Lauren Jackson, whose elite scoring, rebounding, and shot-blocking anchored both ends of the floor. Sue Bird directed the offense with her playmaking, while Betty Lennox supplied consistent perimeter scoring and Iziane Castro Marques added offensive depth. Strong interior production and efficient scoring remained key strengths, although inconsistent defense and rebounding limited the team’s overall performance.
HeatingUp Impact Index: Regular Season Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauren Jackson | Starter/Star (1.1) | 28.4 | High (1.2) | 19.4 | 7.6 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 82.10 | Jackson remained Seattle’s offensive focal point and was nearly impossible to defend one-on-one, blending power in the paint with perimeter shooting. Much of the season’s coverage centered on her dominant efficiency despite missing time with injuries, including becoming the youngest player in WNBA history to reach 3,000 career points. (seattlepi.com) | WNBA MVP (2006), All-WNBA First Team (2006), WNBA All-Star (2006), WNBA Peak Performer – Scoring (2006) |
| Sue Bird | Starter/Star (1.1) | 31.4 | High (1.2) | 11.4 | 3.0 | 4.8 | 1.9 | 55.18 | Bird kept Seattle organized through an uneven season, controlling tempo and creating quality looks while frequently taking on late-game decision-making duties. Local reporting consistently highlighted her leadership as the steadying influence for a roster dealing with injuries and lineup changes. (seattlepi.com) | WNBA All-Star (2006), All-WNBA Second Team (2006) |
| Betty Lennox | Starter/Star (1.1) | 26.1 | High (1.2) | 13.7 | 4.0 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 55.18 | Lennox embraced the role of aggressive perimeter scorer, often looking to attack early in possessions and create offense when Seattle needed a spark. Although her efficiency fluctuated, she remained one of the Storm’s primary shot creators throughout the year. (seattlepi.com) | — |
| Janell Burse | Starter/Star (1.1) | 27.4 | Medium (1.1) | 11.1 | 6.6 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 48.16 | Burse quietly anchored the interior beside Jackson, finishing efficiently around the basket while handling physical defensive assignments. Coaches continued trusting her screening, rebounding and rim protection even when the offense flowed elsewhere. (seattlepi.com) | — |
| Wendy Palmer | Key Contributor (1.05) | 24.0 | Medium (1.1) | 9.4 | 7.6 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 44.58 | Palmer arrived late but immediately added experienced frontcourt depth, giving Seattle another dependable rebounder and interior defender. Her brief stint drew praise for fitting seamlessly into Anne Donovan’s rotation despite limited time with the club. | — |
| Iziane Castro Marques | Starter/Star (1.1) | 19.3 | Medium (1.1) | 7.2 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 27.83 | Castro Marques brought pace and creativity off the wing, thriving when she attacked before defenses became set. Coaches accepted occasional inconsistency because her athleticism added an element of unpredictability to Seattle’s offense. | — |
| Tiffani Johnson | Key Contributor (1.05) | 19.9 | Low (1.0) | 4.7 | 3.9 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 20.79 | Johnson filled an unglamorous reserve role by defending bigger post players and providing physical minutes inside. Independent coverage largely focused on her willingness to absorb difficult matchups rather than offensive production. | — |
| Barbara Turner | Key Contributor (1.05) | 18.3 | Low (1.0) | 6.4 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 22.89 | Turner showed encouraging versatility as a rookie forward, handling multiple positions and contributing with energy on both ends. Reporters frequently noted her potential even as Seattle brought her along gradually. | WNBA All-Rookie Team (2006) |
| Tanisha Wright | Bench (1.0) | 15.4 | Low (1.0) | 3.8 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 14.40 | Wright’s defensive instincts continued earning her meaningful minutes despite a modest offensive role. Seattle regularly trusted her to pressure opposing guards and stabilize the second unit. | — |
| Shaunzinski Gortman | Bench (1.0) | 13.2 | Low (1.0) | 2.8 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 13.60 | Gortman supplied reserve energy with aggressive perimeter defense and hustle plays whenever called upon. Contemporary independent coverage of her season remained limited because she worked primarily in a supporting role. | — |
| Ashley Robinson | Bench (1.0) | 11.7 | Low (1.0) | 1.2 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 10.20 | Robinson’s value came almost entirely from defense and shot blocking, giving Seattle another interior option off the bench. Independent reporting specific to her season was limited due to her reserve role. | — |
| Edwige Lawson-Wade | Bench (1.0) | 8.1 | Low (1.0) | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 8.40 | Lawson-Wade handled backup point guard duties with steady ball movement and defensive pressure. Coverage rarely focused on her individually, reflecting Seattle’s reliance on Bird for primary playmaking. | — |
| Cisti Greenwalt | Bench (1.0) | 4.8 | Low (1.0) | 0.4 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.00 | Greenwalt saw only limited action before falling out of the regular rotation. Contemporary independent reporting on her individual season was scarce. | — |
| Kaayla Chones | Bench (1.0) | 4.7 | Low (1.0) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | Chones appeared briefly as developmental frontcourt depth. Independent coverage of her season was extremely limited because she remained outside Seattle’s regular rotation. | — |
| Seattle Storm Totals | 93.6 | 42.1 | 17.4 | 14.0 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Playoff Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauren Jackson | Starter/Star (1.1) | 30.3 | High (1.2) | 18.0 | 8.0 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 78.67 | Jackson remained Seattle’s most difficult matchup, scoring efficiently while protecting the rim despite constant double-teams from Los Angeles. Even in defeat, coverage emphasized that she was the player the Sparks built their defensive game plan around. (seattlepi.com) | WNBA MVP (2006), All-WNBA First Team (2006), WNBA All-Star (2006), WNBA Peak Performer – Scoring (2006) |
| Betty Lennox | Starter/Star (1.1) | 30.0 | High (1.2) | 11.7 | 5.7 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 63.10 | Lennox shifted into more of a secondary playmaking role during the series, trying to create offense when Los Angeles limited Jackson’s touches. The aggressiveness was there, but the Sparks’ length forced difficult perimeter looks throughout the matchup. (seattlepi.com) | — |
| Sue Bird | Starter/Star (1.1) | 35.3 | High (1.2) | 12.7 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 52.01 | Bird carried the responsibility of organizing Seattle’s offense under heavy defensive pressure before suffering a broken nose late in Game 2 after an accidental elbow. Her injury became one of the defining storylines of the series heading into the decisive game. (seattlepi.com) | WNBA All-Star (2006), All-WNBA Second Team (2006) |
| Janell Burse | Starter/Star (1.1) | 27.0 | Medium (1.1) | 10.3 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 37.03 | Burse battled the Sparks’ physical frontcourt every possession, supplying interior defense and efficient finishing whenever Seattle established its half-court sets. Her work rarely generated headlines, but coaches continued trusting her against elite post players. (seattlepi.com) | — |
| Iziane Castro Marques | Starter/Star (1.1) | 29.3 | Medium (1.1) | 9.7 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 38.72 | Castro Marques attacked the basket with confidence and consistently looked to pressure Los Angeles in transition. Her willingness to drive created needed offensive variety even when Seattle’s perimeter shooting cooled. | — |
| Tiffani Johnson | Key Contributor (1.05) | 21.0 | Low (1.0) | 6.3 | 4.3 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 27.09 | Johnson gave Seattle valuable physical minutes off the bench, helping absorb the defensive workload against the Sparks’ experienced post rotation. Independent coverage consistently viewed her as an important depth piece rather than a featured scorer. | — |
| Barbara Turner | Key Contributor (1.05) | 17.7 | Low (1.0) | 2.3 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 16.17 | Turner continued earning trust with defensive versatility and active rebounding despite limited offensive opportunities. Her rookie composure remained one of Seattle’s brighter long-term developments. | WNBA All-Rookie Team (2006) |
| Edwige Lawson-Wade | Bench (1.0) | 3.7 | Low (1.0) | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.20 | Lawson-Wade appeared briefly to provide relief minutes at point guard. Contemporary postseason reporting devoted little attention to her individual role because Seattle relied heavily on Bird throughout the series. (seattlepi.com) | — |
| Tanisha Wright | Bench (1.0) | 6.0 | Low (1.0) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.00 | Wright saw only limited floor time as Seattle shortened its playoff rotation. Available independent coverage focused on her defensive potential rather than her brief postseason appearances. | — |
| Ashley Robinson | Bench (1.0) | 2.5 | Low (1.0) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | Robinson was used sparingly as emergency frontcourt depth. Independent reporting on her playoff contribution was limited because she remained outside the regular rotation. (seattlepi.com) | — |
| Seattle Storm Totals | 72.3 | 28.4 | 15.9 | 10.0 |