November 14, 2020
Seattle Storm player season review: Epiphanny Prince
By Derek James
The 11-year veteran did her part in staying ready
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If anyone deserves a WNBA championship, it’s Epiphanny Prince. For four of the last five seasons, Prince has had to overcome injuries and movement with Seattle as her third home in as many years. For a former All-Star and All-WNBA veteran, a championship was one of the few remaining unchecked boxes in her career.
Prince’s regular-season numbers don’t jump off the page. In 15 games, Prince averaged 4.3 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists on 38 percent shooting from the floor. While this production is seemingly easy to overlook, her season requires proper context.
She played just 12.7 minutes per game on a team with Sue Bird, Jewell Loyd, Jordin Canada, and Sami Whitcomb in the backcourt. It’s often difficult for players to flourish with inconsistent playing time.
Players often remark how different it is to adjust to going from a starting spot to a bench role. When called upon, Prince still showed her ability as a perimeter creator.
Prince also temporarily left the Wubble for personal reasons and understandably missed time for that.
When Whitcomb left the Wubble before the Finals to return home, Prince stepped up. Prince was already outplaying Whitcomb in the postseason before she left, but her defining performance was in Game 1 of the Finals versus her former team. Her 11 points, two rebounds, and three steals helped lead Seattle to victory.
As a whole, her postseason was a step up from her regular season. She shot 47.1 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc in five games. Prince also averaged more points, assists, and steals per game in the postseason. This includes two lackluster performances in Games 2 and 3 of the Finals, but the playoffs were a high note for her to end her season on.
Future Outlook
What comes next for Prince remains to be seen. She has her championship and while the Storm may want to bring her back, their cap crunch may prevent it. Prince’s production wasn’t irreplaceable by any means, but they already know there’s a fit there.
Having just turned 32 years old, Prince will likely hit unrestricted free agency having shown she can be healthy and productive. There could be another team in the position Seattle was an offseason ago, looking for a reliable veteran bench scorer.
