Awa Fam races from Spain title run to Storm rookie breakout
Seattle’s No. 3 pick joined the Storm days after winning in Spain and has already become one of the WNBA’s top young frontcourt talents.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Awa Fam did not get the usual rookie runway after the Seattle Storm drafted her No. 3 overall on April 13. According to CBS Sports, the 6-foot-4 center went straight back to Spain to finish the season with Valencia Basket, the club she had played for since age 15.
For about a month, Fam split her basketball life across two continents. CBS Sports reported that she practiced and played in the Liga Feminina playoffs by day, then joined Zoom sessions with Storm assistant coaches and reviewed film from Seattle at night.
Storm coach Sonia Raman told CBS Sports the team wanted to be “intentional” about keeping in touch while Fam was still overseas, hoping to give her some comfort before she arrived in the WNBA.
Fam finally reached Seattle on May 21, just after helping Valencia win its fourth straight Liga Feminina championship. Three days later, she was in a Storm uniform for her WNBA debut.
That first game came in a 97-85 win over the Washington Mystics. CBS Sports reported that Fam played 20 minutes off the bench, scored 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting and added two rebounds.
Fam told CBS Sports the WNBA pace felt faster, more fluid and more physical than the style she was used to in Spain, where she said games are more tactical and have fewer possessions. Asked about the quick switch, she did not make it sound dramatic: “It was easy, really,” she said.
A rookie producing fast
Fam turned 20 last month, but her early numbers have already put her in select company. Since joining Seattle’s starting lineup on June 3, CBS Sports reported that she is averaging 11.9 points, six rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.2 blocks while shooting 49.7% from the field and 38.6% from 3 on 4.6 attempts per game.
For the full season, CBS Sports reported that Fam leads all rookies in rebounds and blocks. She also ranks sixth among rookies in scoring, eighth in 3-point percentage and 10th in assists.
Her age makes the start even louder. CBS Sports reported that Fam became the 14th teenager in WNBA history to appear in a game and joined Liz Cambage as the only teenagers to score in double figures in their debut. In just nine games before her 20th birthday, she scored 90 points, tied for fourth-most by a teenager in league history.
Storm center Stefanie Dolson told CBS Sports that Fam plays with poise and confidence beyond her years. Fellow rookie Flau’jae Johnson called Fam “a very mature person” and praised her next-play mentality.
Big, skilled and stretching defenses
Fam’s value starts with her size, but CBS Sports’ numbers show the Storm are getting much more than a paint player. The report said she is above league average at the rim, from mid-range, from 3-point range and at the free throw line.
Among players listed at 6-foot-4 or taller, CBS Sports reported that only Jonquel Jones has made more 3-pointers this season than Fam, who has hit 32. Fam is shooting 39.2% on catch-and-shoot 3s, according to the report.
Fam told CBS Sports she sees herself as a center who can play “like a point forward,” saying she needs to shoot to open the floor, especially when sharing the court with Dominique Malonga.
Raman also told CBS Sports that Fam’s passing has stood out. The coach described her as a hub-style player who can handle the ball on the perimeter and find cutters or teammates coming off actions.
Seattle’s record has not matched the buzz. CBS Sports reported the Storm are 6-22, last in the league, and on pace for the second-worst winning percentage in franchise history. Still, Fam, Malonga and Johnson give the rebuild a bright center of gravity.
Fam kept her own goals blunt in her interview with CBS Sports: she wants to improve, win games and help her team. Two months into her WNBA life, the Storm already have a rookie worth building around.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.