Former Sparks Guard Waived by Washington Mystics Following Three-Team Deal
WNBA guard Zia Cooke is currently without a team after a recent series of transactions. The third-year player was involved in a three-team trade on August 5, 2025, that sent her from the Seattle Storm to the Washington Mystics. However, her time with the Mystics was short-lived, as the team immediately waived her, making her a free agent. Cooke had been a role player for the Seattle Storm this season, coming off the bench and providing limited production. The move signals an uncertain future for the former South Carolina star as she now looks to latch on with another team.
A Challenging 2025 Season
Cooke’s 2025 season with the Seattle Storm was characterized by a strict reserve role. She appeared in 24 games, averaging 3.3 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 10.4 minutes per game. While she showed flashes of potential, including an eight-point performance in a win against the Sun, her minutes were often inconsistent. The Storm had signed her after she was waived by the Los Angeles Sparks in the offseason, and she had initially turned a training camp contract into a roster spot. However, a series of moves by Seattle to bolster its depth eventually led to Cooke falling out of the regular rotation, which ultimately resulted in her inclusion in the trade.
Career Path and College Success
Zia Cooke was a standout player at the University of South Carolina, where she won an NCAA national championship in 2022 and earned multiple All-SEC honors. She was selected 10th overall in the 2023 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. In her rookie season, she played 39 games and averaged 4.8 points per game. Her role with the Sparks diminished in her second season before she was waived. Now as a free agent, Cooke will be looking for a new opportunity to establish herself in the league, with the hope that a new team can provide the consistent minutes and role that have so far eluded her in the WNBA.
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