Noelle Quinn
A versatile WNBA champion who translated her high basketball IQ from a 13-year playing career into a head coaching role with the Seattle Storm.
Born 1985 (age 41)·American basketball player/coach·Birthday: January 3·Millennials
Biography
Noelle Quinn's basketball life has been one of steady evolution and quiet leadership. Entering the WNBA in 2007, the UCLA standout carved out a 13-year career as a reliable, intelligent guard known for her defensive prowess and playmaking. She was a valuable role player for several franchises, a journey that culminated in winning a championship with the Seattle Storm in 2018. That experience in Seattle proved foundational. Shortly after retiring as a player, Quinn was elevated from assistant to head coach of the Storm, tasked with guiding a franchise in transition. She approaches coaching with the same composed, studious demeanor she displayed on the court, focusing on defensive identity and player development as she builds her own legacy on the sidelines.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Noelle was born in 1985, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Noelle Was Born
The biggest hits of 1985
#1 Movie
Back to the Future
Best Picture
Out of Africa
#1 TV Show
Dynasty
Noelle's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1985Born
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1990Started school
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1998Became a teenager
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Could drive
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2003Could vote
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Turned 21
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2015Turned 30
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 40
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 41 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a WNBA championship as a player with the Seattle Storm in 2018.
- Appointed head coach of the Seattle Storm, becoming only the third head coach in franchise history.
- Played professionally for over a decade in the WNBA for five different teams.
Did You Know?
She was the fourth overall pick in the 2007 WNBA Draft, selected by the Minnesota Lynx.
Quinn was a three-time All-Pac-10 selection during her collegiate career at UCLA.
She played overseas in Turkey for Botaş SK during the WNBA off-seasons.
“My job is to make the players around me better, on the court and off.”
