Bird among Storm players in COVID protocols

The Seattle Storm might be with out roughly 1 / 4 of their roster — together with perennial All-Star and WNBA all-time assists chief Sue Chook — for Friday’s recreation towards the New York Liberty after three gamers entered COVID-19 well being and security protocols, the crew introduced previous to the sport.

Stephanie Talbot was the primary participant introduced to have entered well being and security protocols Thursday, earlier than Chook and Ezi Magbegor have been added to the damage listing Friday afternoon. The Storm have been already with out Mercedes Russell to begin the season due to a non-basketball damage. The crew signed Kiana Williams to a hardship contract because of all of the absences.

“This is not splendid, nevertheless it’s the time that we’re in,” Storm coach Noelle Quinn mentioned. “We have been via it earlier than and know the right way to regulate to it.”

Friday’s recreation in Seattle is the primary of back-to-back residence video games towards the 1-5 Liberty, with the mini-series concluding Sunday.

Underneath the WNBA’s guidelines for COVID-19, gamers are examined provided that they’re symptomatic. Their return to play is symptom-specific, however usually gamers might be cleared after two destructive checks which can be at the very least 24 hours aside.

Earlier within the season, two-time Finals MVP Breanna Stewart and Epiphanny Prince additionally missed a pair of video games for Seattle due to well being and security protocols. On the time, Stewart criticized the WNBA’s journey coverage barring chartering, implying that she contracted the virus from flying industrial.

As for the Storm having had 5 gamers out to date this season resulting from COVID-19, Quinn mentioned, “I do know our gamers are doing the perfect that they will … our crew is tremendous skilled.”

Seattle is hoping to construct momentum after a 3-3 begin. The squad went 0-2 when Stewart and Prince have been out earlier this month.

There have been eight WNBA gamers who’ve entered well being and security protocols all through the primary three weeks of the common season. Phoenix’s Sophie Cunningham and Atlanta’s Monique Billings additionally missed video games just lately due to COVID-19.