The Seattle Storm’s midseason trade for Brittney Sykes reshaped their playoff push and the Washington Mystics’ direction. What looked like one of the more surprising deals of the 2025 WNBA season became clearer this week when Sykes confirmed she personally requested the move.
Sykes, a first-time All-Star this year, was sent to Seattle on Aug. 5 in exchange for veteran Alysha Clark, guard Zia Cooke, and a 2026 first-round draft pick. She had been averaging 15.4 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.4 rebounds through 25 games in Washington, giving no outward signs of wanting a change.
Her decision to ask out came into sharper focus during her first game back in Washington on Aug. 24.
Speaking to reporters, Sykes offered a blunt description of how it unfolded.
“I just requested [it]. Would you have a conversation if you were requesting something? I don’t think so. It’s just something that you just do,” Sykes said, according to The Washington Post.
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The remark added a new layer to the transaction and fueled conversation about how much say players should have in their careers versus the control held by front offices. For the Mystics, losing an All-Star at her peak was a setback. For the Storm, it was a timely boost for a postseason chase.
The on-court drama matched the off-court storylines. With the score tied in the final seconds against her former team, Sykes drilled a three-pointer to put Seattle up 82-79 with 15.5 seconds remaining. Mystics guard Sug Sutton answered immediately with a three, setting up a dramatic finish.
Seattle turned to its veteran core for the final word. Nneka Ogwumike, a 10-time All-Star, knocked down a midrange jumper at the buzzer to secure an 84-82 victory, delivering one of the Storm’s most dramatic wins of the season.
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For Seattle, the addition of Sykes has only deepened a roster already anchored by established veterans. Alongside Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams, and Ezi Magbegor, Sykes has provided an additional scoring punch and defensive edge. In eight games with the Storm, she has averaged 12.8 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 rebounds, quickly finding her place in a veteran-driven rotation.
The result in Washington kept the Storm in position to climb past Indiana for the No. 6 seed, depending on the Fever’s result later that night against Minnesota. For Sykes, it also marked both a triumphant return and a reminder of how a bold midseason decision can alter the course of two franchises.
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