Grace VanSlooten Drafted by Seattle Storm

NORMAN, OKLAHOMA - MARCH 22: Grace VanSlooten #14 of the Michigan State Spartans drives against Brooklyn Stewart #21 of the Oklahoma Sooners during the first quarter in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Lloyd Noble Center on March 22, 2026 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Seattle Storm selected Michigan State forward Grace VanSlooten with their third round pick, and the 39th pick overall, in the 2026 WNBA Draft.

This will be a return to the Pacific Northwest for VanSlooten, who played two seasons at MSU after transferring from Oregon.

At MSU, VanSlooten led the Spartans to the round of 32 in consecutive NCAA tournaments, earned All Big Ten honors in each of her seasons in East Lansing, and led Michigan State in scoring this past season with 15.1 points per game.

VanSlooten is the ninth Michigan State player to be drafted into the WNBA but may be the only Spartan currently on a WNBA roster. Julia Ayrault signed with the Phoenix Mercury as an undrafted free agent in 2025 but was cut prior to the start of the WNBA season.

The Storm are coming off a 23-21 season where they finished in fourth place in the Western Conference and made the WNBA playoffs. Seattle had four picks in this year’s draft and used their final selection on VanSlooten. With their first pick, and the third overall, Seattle took center Awa Fam Thiam from Spain. Seattle had an additional first-round pick and used it to take Duke point guard Taina Mair as the 14th overall selection. Small forward Marta Suarez from TCU went in the second round and then Seattle got VanSlooten in the draft’s final round.

Connecticut’s Azzi Fudd was the first overall pick in this year’s draft by the Dallas Wings but Big Ten and National Champion UCLA led the way with six players drafted, including five in the first round.

The Storm will open the 2026 WNBA season on May 8 when they host the Golden State Valkyries.