Seattle Storm general manager Talisa Rhea expressed full support for head coach Noelle Quinn following allegations of bullying and harassment against the coaching staff. An independent investigation cleared Quinn and her staff of any wrongdoing.
Seattle Storm general manager Talisa Rhea expressed unwavering support for head coach Noelle Quinn on Tuesday, following allegations of bullying and harassment against the coaching staff during the offseason. Rhea emphasized the importance of allowing the investigative process to unfold naturally, stating, 'First, we let the process play out and that was very important to us and the integrity of that process.
' She further highlighted the strong desire of players to remain with the Storm, noting, 'Second, we've been locked in with Noelle this entire offseason and it's been very clear through our free agency conversations that players do want to be here. They believe in what we're building here in Seattle. They want to play with Noelle. The group that we have here is totally bought in to that. So we're very confident in Noelle and what she's able to do with this group this year.'Quinn and the Storm coaching staff were cleared of any wrongdoing by an independent investigation initiated after former Storm standout Jewell Loyd reportedly lodged a complaint. Quinn expressed gratitude for the organization's handling of the situation, saying, 'I believe that the organization did the right thing. Throughout this entire process, the communication level was tremendously high. I felt supported in a lot of ways and I know my staff felt supported as well. With anything like this, it is important to take the right steps and our organization did that.' Following the investigation's conclusion, Loyd reportedly requested a trade, which was subsequently granted. Loyd was traded to the Las Vegas Aces last month as part of a three-team deal that brought center Li Yueru, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, and a 2026 first-round pick to Seattle.Rhea acknowledged the strong relationship with Loyd and the organization's commitment to transparency, stating, 'We've had a strong relationship with Jewell and being able to be transparent and open in our communication. As last season went on and into this offseason, we wanted to do what we felt like was best for our organization and Jewell.' Rhea emphasized Loyd's significant contributions to the Storm, stating, 'Jewell meant a lot to this organization. She built a lot with us here. Noelle and I have been part of a couple of championships with Jewell, so this is not to take away anything that Jewell did during her time here with Seattle. I'm very appreciative for that. We will continue to be. We're excited with how the roster has moved forward, excited for this year and what we were able to do with that trade.' Both Rhea and Quinn expressed confidence in the team's direction, citing the numerous player re-signings and interest from prospective players. Nneka Ogwumike and Gabby Williams both re-signed with the Storm, and former standout Alyshia Clark returned to Seattle after spending three years with the Aces and Washington Mystics. Quinn concluded, 'Moving forward, the fact that we have built a tremendous roster – players who want to come and play for me, my staff, want to be a part of the organization – it will show the fans everything that they need to know about myself and what we're building around Seattle. This is a top-notch organization, an organization that stands for excellence and integrity. I lead in that way and I want to continue to exemplify that as well.
WNBA Seattle Storm Noelle Quinn Talisa Rhea Jewell Loyd Bullying Harassment Investigation Player Trade
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