SEATTLE -- Coach Noelle Quinn said the Seattle Storm will help Katie Lou Samuelson's "journey" as the forward recovers from a torn ACL in what was expected to be a "great year" for the veteran.
Samuelson, who joined the Storm this offseason, suffered the injury to her right knee in practice Thursday and is expected to miss the WNBA season.
"First of all, heart goes out to her," Quinn said before Sunday's preseason game against the Connecticut Sun. "The organization's going to be supporting her through this journey. It hurts my heart a lot because she's just a player that I feel like this was going to be a great year for her.
"She was having such a great camp -- in great shape, her spirit was great, shooting the ball really well and just able to plug some holes that we have. Obviously, the deficiency from 3 was big, but defensively, the versatility. I knew that this was going to be a great year for her."
Samuelson, the 2019 No. 4 draft pick out of UConn, signed with the Storm in February after agreeing to a buyout of her contract with the Indiana Fever. Samuelson was returning to where she enjoyed her best WNBA season in 2021, shooting a career-high 46% from the field and averaging 7.0 points and 3.5 rebounds as a starter on a Seattle team that went 21-11.
After missing the 2023 season to give birth to daughter Aliya in August, Samuelson signed with the Fever last offseason. She began the 2024 campaign as a starter, but averaged just 4.3 points on 35% shooting, both Samuelson's lowest marks since her rookie year in 2019 with the Chicago Sky.
"Once going into free agency, I really wanted somewhere that I felt comfortable and confident going into," Samuelson said at Monday's media day. "I felt like Seattle, in talking to Noey and [GM] Talisa [Rhea], really gave me that comfort in knowing I could come back here and have a chance to play and contribute in a way that has opportunity and has the chance to win a lot of games."
Although the one-year, $90,000 deal that Samuelson signed with the Storm is not protected, according to HerHoopStats.com, the injury means Seattle is responsible for her salary until Samuelson is able to return. That will likely leave the Storm, who were already anticipating beginning the season with 11 players to stay under the WNBA's hard salary cap, with 10 active players until they create enough cap room to fill the 12th open roster spot.
Seattle also has two other players out this season with ACL injuries, guard Nika Muhl and forward Jordan Horston. Both were injured playing in other leagues: Muhl in October while competing in Turkey, and Horston in February in Athletes Unlimited in Nashville, Tennessee. That allowed the Storm to place them on the suspended list for this season, removing their contracts from the team's salary cap.
Quinn said the ability for other players to handle multiple positions will be key to filling in for Samuelson.
"The great thing about what we did in the offseason was find versatile players," Quinn said. "We can slide AC [Alysha Clark] from 3 to 4 and plug some holes that I think Lou was going to fill as well. Obviously can't replace her, but utilizing the rest of our roster to figure out some lineups."
WNBA teams must finalize their regular-season rosters by May 16. Seattle opens the season the following day, visiting the Phoenix Mercury.