The Seattle Storm announced its opening-day roster for the 2011 season on Thursday.
This year’s roster returns seven players from the 2010 team that won the WNBA championship and welcomes four new players.
The Storm’s final roster move of the preseason was made Thursday when the team waived guard Sharnee Zoll.
Veteran all-star Katie Smith highlights the group of newcomers. Smith, who goes into the season as the third-leading scorer in WNBA history (5,760 points), was acquired in the offseason in a three-team trade involving Seattle, the Washington Mystics and Indiana Fever. Rounding out the new players are rookie forward Ify Ibekwe, rookie center Krystal Thomas and guard Belinda Snell.
The Storm will look to Snell and Smith to help replace the perimeter shooting of guard Svetlana Abrosimova and forward Jana Vesela. Abrosimova and Vesela are not with the Storm this season because of obligations to their national teams.
Returning are the Storm’s big-three: the reigning WNBA Most Valuable Player, forward Lauren Jackson; five-time all-star point guard Sue Bird, and three-time all-star Swin Cash.
Forward Camille Little, center Ashley Robinson, forward Le’coe Willingham and guard Tanisha Wright round out the returning cast for Seattle.
The Storm open defense of their title at noon Saturday at KeyArena when they face the Phoenix Mercury.
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