Katie Lou Samuelson signs with Storm

Katie Lou Samuelson is headed back to the Seattle Storm, her agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Samuelson, who played with the Storm in 2021, agreed to a one-year deal with Seattle. She mutually parted ways with the Indiana Fever earlier this month. Samuelson missed the 2023 season due to maternity leave after giving birth to daughter Aliya and returned last year, appearing in 37 games for the Fever while averaging 4.3 points.

Samuelson signed a two-year, $355,000 deal with the Fever ahead of last season and earned $175,000 in 2024, according to the website Her Hoops Stats. Her Fever contract was protected so Indiana offered her a buyout. The terms of her contract with Seattle were not disclosed.

The 27-year-old wing started 24 games for Seattle, averaging 7.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists that season.

Samuelson is currently playing in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league in Miami. She was named to the U.S. 3-on-3 Olympic team for the Tokyo Games in 2021, but had to back out at the last minute after contracting COVID-19.

It's been an offseason of change for the Storm, who traded star guard Jewell Loyd to Las Vegas as part of a three-way deal that gave them the No. 2 pick in the draft. Seattle signed free agent Alysha Clark and traded for Lexie Brown as well as re-signing Nneka Ogwumike.

The Fever have undergone major changes in their roster this offseason to help Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. Indiana added Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner, Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson and Brianna Turner. Indiana also changed coaches, bringing in Stephanie White.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball