BERLIN — Seattle Storm forward-center Ezi Magbegor tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee and will miss the rest of the 2026 WNBA season, the Storm announced Thursday. She was hurt Wednesday in Australia’s 82-80 win over Italy in the qualification round of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
The team did not give a timeline for her return. More information will be provided when available, the Storm said.
Magbegor was playing as Australia’s captain in Berlin. Basketball Australia named her to the role on Sept. 2 after Sami Whitcomb withdrew from the tournament with a knee injury. Opals coach Sandy Brondello said when she announced the move that she expected Magbegor to lead the team the way the Opals’ former captains had.
“I always say she brings her authentic self to everything she does,” Brondello said, according to Olympics.com.
Magbegor is the 15th Opal to captain the team into a major tournament, by the federation’s count. Magbegor said not much changed with the armband, because Brondello had already told the group that everyone on the roster was a leader.
“I just want to be that person that’s reliable, consistent for my team,” Magbegor said before the opener, according to Basketball.com.au.
Ezi Magbegor’s Right Knee Injury Against Italy
With 5:51 left in the first quarter at Berlin Arena, Magbegor hurt her right knee on a drive to the basket. She had to be helped off the floor but walked into the locker room on her own, Basketball.com.au reported. She came back to the Australian bench in the second quarter with ice on the knee and did not return to the game.
She finished with 2 points on 1-of-1 shooting, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 4 minutes, 9 seconds.
Brondello told reporters that her heart sank when Magbegor went down.
“We’ll see what the (test) result is tomorrow,” Brondello explained after the game, according to [ESPN’s Alexa Philippou](LINK NEEDED). “She’s walking; that’s a good sign.”
Australia was also without Dallas Wings forward Alanna Smith, who was ruled out for the rest of the tournament before tip-off with a lower leg injury from the Sept. 4 opener against Puerto Rico.
Coming off the bench, Isobel Borlase scored 30 points with 4 rebounds and 5 assists in 31 minutes. Australia led 69-49 after three quarters. Italy tied the game at 77 on a 3-pointer by Costanza Verona with 1:09 left, and the Italians missed a layup at the buzzer that would have forced overtime. Dallas placed Verona’s Wings contract on hold so she could join Italy for World Cup camps and exhibitions.
Australia and Spain meet in the quarterfinals at 1:45 p.m. CT Thursday, with TNT, truTV, and HBO Max carrying the World Cup in the United States through Sept. 13.
Ezi Magbegor’s 2026 Season With the Seattle Storm
Before the tournament, Brondello told ABC Sport that Magbegor and Smith could hold their own against any post players in the world.
“I’ve coached (Ezi) since she was 18,” Brondello said. “And this is her time, back healthy.”
Magbegor opened the World Cup with 11 points and 9 rebounds against Puerto Rico. On Sept. 5, she scored 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting in an 87-71 win over Türkiye. She had 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists in an 80-68 loss to Belgium two days later.
Before the WNBA season, Magbegor hurt her right foot against Hungary on March 14 at a World Cup qualifying tournament in Istanbul. The Storm announced the injury April 20, hours before media day. She had wanted to be back in Seattle for the start of training camp to support the team.
“Injuries are unfortunate, but I’m feeling good,” Magbegor explained at media day.
She missed Seattle’s first 20 games and returned July 2 at Phoenix. In her fourth game back, at Atlanta, she took a hit to the face and sustained a facial fracture.
In 14 games for Seattle, 9 of them starts, Magbegor averaged 6.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks. She shot 39.8% from the field. Dallas beat the Storm 92-70 on Aug. 23 at College Park Center, a night Magbegor went 0-of-4 from the field and finished with 2 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists.
The Los Angeles Sparks beat Seattle 90-74 in her final game before the World Cup break, on Aug. 30. She had 9 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals in 28 minutes.
Seattle used the core designation on Magbegor before free agency. She re-signed April 12 on a three-year, $3.75 million contract that runs through the 2028 season. The organization saw value in her, and she saw value in the organization.
“I knew this is where I wanted to be,” Magbegor said at media day.
Storm general manager Talisa Rhea said in April that bringing her back had been a priority from the start.
“She anchors us,” Rhea said.
The Storm drafted Magbegor with the No. 12 pick in 2019. She won a WNBA championship with Seattle as a rookie in 2020, made the All-Star team in 2023, and has four All-Defensive selections. In 220 career regular-season games, she has averaged 9.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.
At 8-32, Seattle has been eliminated from playoff contention. The Storm resume the regular season Sept. 17 against the visiting Las Vegas Aces. Dallas plays at Seattle on Sept. 23.
