Zia Cooke Re-Signs With Seattle Storm After Brief Stint Away
Former South Carolina women’s basketball star Zia Cooke has had a whirlwind professional season. After signing with the Seattle Storm in the offseason, Cooke secured a spot on the opening-day roster and spent much of the early campaign as part of the team’s rotation. But as the year progressed, minutes began to shift in favor of fellow Gamecock alum Tiffany Mitchell, pushing Cooke further down the depth chart.
Cooke later worked her way back into Seattle’s rotation, only to move back to the bench for consecutive games. Then came the biggest shake-up: on August 5, the Storm traded her to the Washington Mystics. That move was short-lived, however, as Washington opted to waive her not long after.
Now, the former Gamecock is back where she started. On Monday, Seattle announced that it had re-signed Cooke for the remainder of the season, marking a quick return less than two weeks after she left the franchise.
During her first run with the Storm, Cooke averaged 3.3 points in 10.4 minutes per game, while shooting an impressive 38.2% from three-point range. With her return, she’ll once again share the backcourt with Mitchell as Seattle looks to solidify its position in the WNBA playoff race, where it currently holds the No. 8 seed.
For South Carolina fans, Cooke’s comeback also means the program continues its heavy presence in the WNBA, with 10 Gamecocks on active rosters at this point in the season.
Cooke’s pro journey is just the latest chapter in a decorated career. At South Carolina, she became a National Champion, an All-American, and the 2023 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award winner, recognized as the nation’s best shooting guard.
