Seattle Storm forward Katie Lou Samuelson is expected to miss this WNBA season after tearing the ACL in her right knee in practice Thursday, the team announced Saturday.
Samuelson, the 2019 No. 4 draft pick out of UConn, signed with the Storm in February. She also spent the 2021 season with Seattle.
The Storm also have two other players out this season with ACL injuries: guards Jordan Horston and Nika Muhl. Both were injured playing in other leagues: Muhl in October while competing in Turkey, and Horston in February in Athletes Unlimited in Nashville, Tennessee.
Samuelson, 27, started her WNBA career in Chicago, and also has played for Dallas, Los Angeles and Indiana. She missed the 2023 season while on maternity leave and spent last season with the Fever, averaging 4.3 points and 2.3 rebounds. Her overall best season was 2022 with the Sparks, when she averaged 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
She won a national championship at UConn in 2016, her freshman season. Samuelson was on the United States' 3x3 team for the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021 but was not able to compete due to COVID-19 and was replaced on the roster by the Las Vegas Aces' Jackie Young.