Seattle Storm standout Ezi Magbegor will miss the beginning of the WNBA season due to a right foot injury that she suffered while playing for Australia in the FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers, the team announced Monday.
The Storm said they will provide updates on her progress after six to eight weeks.
Magbegor, 26, is a two-time Olympian for the Australian national team. The injury happened three games into the qualifying tournament in early March, and she missed the Opals' final two games of the event.
"Injuries are unfortunate, but I'm feeling good," Magbegor said Monday. "It's nice to be back here in Seattle and with the team. That was something that I really wanted to do, and just be back here for the start of training camp and be able to support the team for the next few weeks."
Her absence is a big blow to Seattle, which lost its top five scorers from last season in free agency. The 6-foot-4 forward was the Storm's top returning scorer (8.0 points per game), rebounder (6.2) and shot blocker (2.2).
"It's my first time I've been injured for that amount of time," Magbegor said. "And so just kind of finding ways to still be part of the team from the sideline. I'm still working to just get back in those six to eight weeks. So just taking it day by day, working with the medical team here."
The four-time All-Defensive Team selection has played her entire WNBA career with Seattle, emerging as a starter in 2022. Her best campaign came in 2023, where she earned an All-Star bid and averaged 13.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
Magbegor signed a three-year deal to return to the Storm last week after being core-designated in free agency -- the WNBA's equivalent to getting the NFL's franchise tag.
Seattle has entered a rebuilding mode, headlined by 2025 No. 2 pick Dominique Malonga, 2026 No. 3 pick Awa Fam and former LSU star Flau'jae Johnson, the 2026 No. 8 selection who was acquired in a draft-day trade.
