When Natisha Hiedeman signed with the Seattle Storm this offseason, she wasn't just looking for a new team. She was looking for the right fit. Hiedeman said Seattle's vision stood out during the free agency process.
"I liked the goals they had and the mission they wanted," Hiedeman said before Monday night's game against the Los Angeles Sparks. "I thought it was a good fit."
Now one of the veterans on a relatively young Storm roster, Hiedeman has naturally stepped into a leadership role. She is currently having the best season of her career, averaging 15.4 points per game and 4.5 assists. While she's known for bringing energy and toughness on the court, she said helping her teammates has become just as important.
"I just try to share everything that I've learned," she said. "Whatever I know, I'm trying to pass it on and just be there for everybody."
For Hiedeman, leadership isn't something that looks the same for every player. She believes getting to know each teammate is just as important as giving advice.
"Everybody needs different things," she said. "It's really just taking the time to understand each person and figuring out what's going to help them."
Seattle has already had its share of challenges this season, but Hiedeman believes the team's mindset has helped it keep moving forward.
"I feel like we never give up," she said. "It's easy to kind of fold when you hit a bump in the road, but I think we just keep sticking with it and fighting until the end."
That resilience is something Hiedeman has developed over the course of her own career. After entering the league in 2019, she's played in big playoff games, experienced deep postseason runs, and learned what it takes to stay consistent through the highs and lows of a WNBA season. Those experiences are now something she can pass along to younger teammates who are still finding their footing.
Hiedeman said that it starts with leading by example every day. Whether it's competing in practice, staying positive during difficult stretches, or offering advice when it's needed, she wants to be someone her teammates can rely on throughout the season.
Looking ahead to Monday's matchup, Hiedeman expected a challenge from a Sparks team that had spent the week focused on improving its defense.
"They're athletic everywhere," she said. "They have players that can do a lot of different things, so they're definitely a tough matchup."
Having played against nearly every guard in the league throughout her career, Hiedeman knows how difficult it can be to prepare for a team with multiple players who can create offense and defend at a high level.
Off the court, she said one of the biggest things that has stood out since arriving in Seattle is the team's competitive culture.
"We show up every day ready to work," Hiedeman said. "Everybody competes."
As the Storm continue to push through the second half of the season, Hiedeman's role goes well beyond what shows up in the box score. Whether she's providing a spark through her shooting or helping younger teammates behind the scenes, she's become an important veteran voice for a team with its sights set on another deep playoff run.