Storm's Katie Lou Samuelson (ACL) to miss 2025 season

Field Level Media|published: 05/05/2025, 9:47pm EDT

Indiana Fever forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) and Seattle Storm center Mercedes Russell (21) reach for a ball during the first half of a game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Seattle Storm forward Katie Lou Samuelson will miss the entirety of the upcoming WNBA season with a torn ACL.

Samuelson, 27, injured her right knee during a practice Thursday.

Previously a 24-game starter for Seattle in 2021, when she averaged a career-best 3.5 rebounds while shooting 45.6 percent from the field, Samuelson returned to the Storm this offseason, hoping to reenergize her career where she'd previously had success. She missed 2023 while on maternity leave, and 2024 saw her average just 4.3 points and 2.3 rebounds for the Indiana Fever.

The No. 4 overall draft pick by the Chicago Sky in 2019, Samuelson has also played for the Dallas Wings (2020) and the Los Angeles Sparks (2022).

Samuelson has averaged 5.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 138 games (72 starts) throughout her career.

--Field Level Media