Awa Fam just turned 20, but the Seattle Storm’s No. 3 overall pick has already proved she was worth every bit of that draft capital, leading all WNBA rookies in rebounds and blocks. This center isn’t just a promising talent, she’s a legitimate force making waves just two months into her Seattle career, and she says the whole crazy journey has been, “easy, really.”
From Spanish Champ to Emerald City Star
Talk about a whirlwind! Fam achieved her lifelong dream on April 13 when the Storm called her name at No. 3 in the 2026 WNBA Draft, making her the highest drafted Spanish player in league history. But instead of flying straight to the Pacific Northwest, she was back across the Atlantic, rejoining Valencia Basket, her Liga Feminina squad since she was 15. For the next month, this young phenom lived a true double life. Valencia player by day, tackling LF playoffs, then shifting gears to Storm player by night, jumping on Zoom calls with assistant coaches nearly 6,000 miles away. Coach Sonia Raman and the Storm staff wanted to be “intentional” about connecting with Fam while she was still in Spain, aiming to “help her feel some familiarity” before she ever touched down in Seattle.
She finally arrived in the Emerald City on May 21, just days after helping Valencia snag their fourth consecutive LF title. Three days later, she was making her WNBA debut! Coach Raman wasn’t kidding when she said, “When she got to us in Seattle, it was a little bit of a crash course, throwing her into the fire.” Fam played 20 minutes off the bench in that first game, a 97-85 win over the Washington Mystics, putting up 10 points on 4 of 7 shooting and grabbing two rebounds. She immediately noticed the WNBA’s speed and physicality compared to Spain’s more tactical style. But even with all that on her plate, the youngest player in the league wasn’t fazed. Her take on the whole wild ride? “It was easy, really.” That’s the confidence we love to see!
Dominating The Hardwood In Just Two Months
That confidence is no joke. Since moving into the starting lineup on June 3, Fam is absolutely cooking, averaging 11.9 points, six rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.2 blocks on an impressive 49.7% shooting, including 38.6% from 3-point range on 4.6 attempts per game. For the entire season, this 6-foot-4 center leads all rookies in both rebounds and blocks, a truly incredible feat for someone learning on the fly. She’s also sixth in scoring, eighth in 3-point percentage, and tenth in assists among her fellow rookies. Coach Raman has seen the significant growth in just two months. “On both ends of the ball, she picks things up really quickly,” Raman said, calling Fam a “sponge.” It’s clear she plays with an amazing “poise,” as Coach Raman put it.
Awa Fam has only been in Seattle for a couple of months, but she’s already establishing herself as one of the WNBA’s most promising young players. With her talent and quick learning ability, the rest of the league needs to take notice. We can’t wait to see what this rising star does next for the Storm!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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