Storm guard Shannon “Pee Wee” Johnson announced this morning that she will retire from the WNBA at the end of this season. I had a chance to talk to Johnson, teammate (and former rival) Sue Bird and Head Coach Brian Agler for a feature highlighting how Johnson is at peace with her decision to step away from the American pro game (she plans to continue playing overseas).
I first started watching the WNBA in 2002, when Johnson was at the peak of her career. In fact, one of the first analytical pieces I did on the league the following season season saw me describe Johnson as “perhaps the WNBA’s best point guard.” I have fond memories of the way Bird and Johnson used to go all-out at each other, especially when Johnson was traded to San Antonio and the two played each other three or four times a year.
This season has given me a different look at Johnson the person and the leader. She has been a terrific addition to the Storm’s locker room, and great to work with all season long. Certainly, Johnson will be missed.
If you’ve got a message you’d like to share with the player affectionately known as “Pee Wee” to be included in a scrapbook we’ll present to her at the end of the season, you have two options. Either reply with a comment to this post or e-mail us at peewee@stormbasketball.com, where we’ve set up an inbox for your messages.
E-mail feedback
RSS Feed
Shannon “PeeWee”, I have been one of the lucky ones to have watched you play for the Columbus Quest and personally be involved with the team at that time. I thourghly enjoyed watching you. My one regret is that I haven’t been able to watch you play as much for the WNBA. I wish you all the best.
Sue Wein
Pee Wee: Congratulations and good luck. Now, end your career with a championship. Go, Storm!
After watching you for years in the ABL, the Olympics, and the WNBA, I am so grateful I got to watch you all this year with the Storm. I have also been fortunate this year to see you at STH events, where I enjoyed your sense of humor and integrity. PeeWee, thank you for giving 110% every time on the court, every time out, and for being such a strong role model for young girls. I hope we can accomplish your goal of winning a championship this year!
Shannon, thanks for sticking around one more year in the WNBA to play for the Storm. It was a pleasure to watch you on the court. Are you sure you’re ready to retire? You show no signs of slowing down. Wishing you all the best.
Shannon, we have been so blessed to have you with our team this year. You have stepped up whenever we call upon you. Your enthusiasm and leadership have been necessary components to this very successful season. As a dedicated fan, I can truly say I have loved watching you compete with and against the Storm over the years. You’ve always carried yourself with class and have provided me with a realistic picture of what I would like to become as a successful woman in today’s world. On a more focused note, I just have to say, I particularly enjoy your rebounds. You always go up for the ball, never hesitating just because you aren’t 6′4″. Your hard work pays off. You get boards like crazy! I’m so proud you decided to come play with us, and excited for whatever comes to you in the future! Hopefully we can get another WNBA championship this year as a going away present!
PeeWee!!!! Thanks so much for coming to the Storm! You were amazing this year for us and I wish you the best of luck! You’ve blown me away over and over again this season and I enjoyed watching you every game. Congrats on how successful you’ve been in all of your career and we are all so happy that you chose Seattle, home of the best fans, to end it all. We love and appreciate you…now bring home the Championship…for you and for us!
Hey Pee Wee, it was great having you on our side this year, but it ain’t over yet! We got games to play, a championship to win! Us 6th woman will bring it tonight, hope the Storm bring it too!!
PeeWee -
whasuuuup?
Thank you for an absolutely wonderful year. Your professional and upbeat approach to the game inspires everyone with whom you come in contact. !!!Muchissimas gracias!!!
CU in Ibiza.
XO, Celeste
hey PeeWee,
been watching you in the wnba for a while, nice work thanks for the effort this year. what a awesome career congrats.
from australia much love god bless
xo
Luke
PeeWee
I was a season ticket holder with the Colorado Xplosion and got to see you and Katie and the gang come beat us up in person. ;) I loved being able to see women’s professional basketball here and really miss it. I have followed all my ABL players in the WNBA and, since I don’t have a team of “my own” in Denver, have cheered their teams throughout the years. I’ve always loved your energy and professionalism. Thank you for all the great entertainment and the class act you have always been. I wish you great happiness and success in your life after playing basketball.
All the best,
Toni
Shannon it has been such a blessing to watch you grow into the beautiful woman that you are. You will be greatly missed. May God continue to bless you in your journey overseas. I am proud of you and I could not have asked for a better little sister. I love you!
Peewee!!
You were totally awesome this year, and I’m glad you came to play for the Storm.
You’re a legend and give hope to all players who are under 6′0, and inspiration.
I hope we bring the championship home this year, it’s be a great end to your career!
Xoxo.
Shannon,
You brought an amazing energy to the Storm this season. (LOVE the bench huddle dance!)
Wishing you the best as you enter another stage in your life.
Remember, you will ALWAYS have a home in Seattle!!
Means a lot when you say we’re the best fans in the WNBA — so glad we can send you out on a high as mere representatives of all your fans who you’ve excited and entertained with your determined athletic prowess! After Friday’s amazing (one of THE MOST exciting games ever!) win over L.A., it should be a sendoff with a championship ring! (do they give rings in the WNBA?) Anyway — thanks for always showing up ready and never wavering in your competitive spirit! Great that you’ll coach and infuse others with that! Jean in Olympia, WA.
Hey Pee Wee ,
I feel blessed to have watched your carrer blossom from a young girl playing junior high and high school ball in your hometown of Hartsville,SC to a World Class Athelete! I’ve watched you grow into a fine player as well as a wonderful young lady. (It seems like only yesterday that you were bouncing that ball down Eight Street!!) You have really made us proud. I am so happy that I got to follow your carrer and got the chance to watch you play professional ball ! Congratulations on your retirement !! Wishing you and the Storm much success against LA. What an exciting finish Friday! I’ll be watching Sunday! Good Luck…….. GO Storm!!!
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!!!!!
HI PEEWEE. AM A BIG STORM FAN & A BIG LAUREN JACKSON FAN BUT LUV ALL THE WHOLE STORM TEAM.. GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE.. GOD BLESS
Dang! Retiring? I was so excited when you came to Seattle! You brought the same spark you’ve been playing with all these years. You never tire on the court! Never tire on the sidelines! Was happy to see you play your final year in Seattle… sad to see you go so soon though. Be well… and good luck in the next incredible adventure you partake in! all Best… S.T. Katz
“Pee Wee” you have have been great and without you i dont think we would of made it this far you were a big part of the storm basketball
XOXO-Takiyah
You were great both on and off the court. When I emailed the staff about making my Mother’s 85th birthday special they suprised her with her name on the screen a passes to meet a player after the game. The player was you, PeeWee. You was so nice to my mother she talks about it today.
You are one of the leader of the Storm, We will miss you hard play and leasership.
Shannon “PeeWee” Johnson….it has been a pleasure watching you thoughout your career, in tha ABL, the WNBA and the Olympics. Thank you for sharing your talent and leadership with the Storm this year. You filled a much needed void on the team and it will be hard to refill. Please come by and see us at one of our games next year, so we can cheer for you again and say goodbye properly under much better circumstances.
Thank you soooo much PeeWee for a great season. It was an honor to watch you play and put up some memorable 3-pointers (to say the least) and all the hard work and dedication that you have put forth with the Storm this season. You are truly one of the best players to step foot on the court and you will be missed!
Pee Wee, you really grew on me this season. I loved all of your wily veteran moves, your hustle, and your intense game face. Just as we were getting used to seeing awesome Pee Wee in a Storm uniform, we have to say goodbye :( You will be deeply missed. I really wish that you could’ve left with a championship ring rather than six bogus fouls. But know that that ending doesn’t diminish your wonderful career and you deserved every bit of your standing ovation. Luv ya, girl! :)
Pee Wee, you were so awesome this season. and i really don’t want too see you go. but thank you so much for everything you have done over the year’s and good luck in what ever you decide to do next. Good Bye and Good Luck… Luv ya, girl
Congradulations pee wee on a good career. You will truly be missed. Have a blessed life.
We sure enjoyed watching you play for the Conn. Sun – way back when. Then everytime you came to visit – us fans would give you a roaring applause. Good luck playing overseas. Keep up the intensity you bring to every game. You are a pleasure to watch.
Great having you on the team this year, you added an extra element to the team. Your career in the WNBA has been filled w great plays, especially dishing out assists. Your last game against San Antonio was AWESOME! Good luck with your future plans.
Wow, it happens when you’re about to hit 40, huh? :) You’ve come a long way since Hartsville!! You’ve been a wonderful talent to watch progress and excite the crowds. Good luck as you continue your life overseas. I’m still waiting for that t-shirt!
Thank you for all you have done for womens bball. You were the first wnba player I got to meet and get an autograph this year in the first Sea-LA game at the end of June. I’ve enjoyed watching you over the years with the Miracle, Sun, Comets, and Silver Stars. I truly believe you were one of the best point guards and more specifically, athletes, in womans basketball. Thank you and good luck with the rest of your career and future endeavors.
Hey PeeWee!
I would like to thank you so much for all the years you’ve contributed to the WNBA and women’s basketball in general. The help you’ve given to the Seattle Storm especially has made the entire team shine and with your talent, you’ve made the Storm a more experienced and fun team to watch. You’ve truly made a difference in women’s sports, and personally, you’ve motivated me to have more and more courage to shoot over those who are taller than I am (I’m only 5′3 1/2″ haha). I wish you the best of luck in your plans for the future. I hope to have the pleasure of meeting you some day. Take care always and God bless.
- Valerie Ann “Val” Villaluz
Wow! Thank you so much for being a part of the Storm this season. We would not have achieved 20 wins without you. I have enjoyed watching you play since the ABL games, of course while you were on the opponent’s team. Congrats on a truly awesome career. Good luck with your future endeavors!
Hey Pee Wee,
I would like to thank you so much for all of the years you’ve contributed to the WNBA and women’s basketball in general. The help you’ve given to the Seattle Storm especially has made the entire team shine and with your talent, your’ve made the storm a more experienced and fun team to watch. You’ve truly made a difference in women’s sports, and personally, you’ve motivated my Mom & dad & I to have more and more courage to shoot over those who are taller than We are. We Wish you the best of luck in your plans for the future. We hope to have the pleasure of meeting you some day & We hope that you Come to a Seattle storm game to watch a game.
Take care always & God Bless.
We Love you Pee-Wee..
Hello ‘Pee Wee”. I watched you during the ABL’s and throughout the WNBA season. You are such a great player and you always carried a smile on your face no matter if calls were called against you. You will be missed amongst other retired seasoned players such as: Yolanda Griffith, Lisa Leslie, and others. Without the onset of the ABL, I don’t think it would have been an WNBA team. I always prayed that there would be a professional basketball team and it came to past. I only wished that it was around when I was playing. Thanks for all that you and others have done to make the WNBA the best. May God bless you in whatever you do. May he continue to excel you in greater things to come. I loved your defensive stops, too. God Bless You
come back to Detroit and bring Cash with you!
thanks for the great season peewee. i wish you all the best of luck! i hope you know seattle loves you !!!
I’ve admired you as a player since the beginning. I’m sad to see you go but am overjoyed that I was able to watch you here in Seattle. Have a great retirement and thank you so much for being such a great person and a wonderful player.
Pee Wee,
Thank you for coming to Seattle this year. You gave 110% each game and were a delight to watch. I appreciated your personality & leadership for the Storm. The highlight of the season ticket holder event at Key Arena at the start of the season was when you sat next to me and started talking with me about my camera gear. That made my whole day and let me know what a great person you were in addition to being a great basketball player.
Good luck in your future endeavors & thanks!
~Amy
Hi,
Gads, we didn’t even have enough time to fall in love with cu…reconsider? You got a place with us. I love your spunk and atitude.
Well, if you got to go, you got to go. Good luck with new career choices, what ever you do. I hope it is connected to WNBA. We can always use a good spirted, warm, and knowledgeable gal like you.
Good Blessings and health.
WE will miss you.
Robo
Hi Peewee,
My girls and I would like to thank you for a great season. You were truly a pleasure to watch. We just loved the intensity you showed on the floor and we wish you continued success. Please come back to Seattle to visit. You will always be part of the Storm family.
Pee Wee,
Thank you so much for deciding to play this year for the Storm! I only wish it had ended in a Championship for you. Since we met and chatted with you at the Greenlake event, at events throughout the season, and until the last game, it has been our pleasure to get to know you a little bit, and cheer you on during the games. You are a very special person with a tremendous heart, and we wish you only the very best for the future. Thanks for the memories!
Rick and Gail
Hey, great career. Hope your next one is successful as well. Also, I met your high school coach at a P.E. workshop this summer and she was very proud of you.
Hi, I have supported the WNBA since 97 and living in New York I always appreciated what your game ment to this league and eventhough, I am a NY Liberty SeasonSubscriber the battles that you and Theresa Weatherspoon had in those great early days are historic. So the WNBA will miss you and thanks again for a wonderful career.
Pee Wee, say it ain’t so!
It took no time for us to fall in love with your skills and personality. Loved it when you’d beat the 6′+ players on those rebounds and how you can just hussle! We will miss you SO much and how incredibly approachable and open you are in talking to your fans.
Thanks for your a great year with Seattle, and please keep us posted of your well being. You’ll surely kick ass where ever you are!
All our best,
Helen and Ethan
Hey Pee Wee,
It was such a pleasure to see you zip out onto the floor.
I imagine you have carried your fierce determination and focused energy throughout your career…it was such gift to bring that light to Seattle for a year. Thank you so very much.
I too hope that you carry on that spark, and if you wanted to light it up around here, that would be lovely!
Playing, Teaching, Leading….you are a wonder.
Thank you!
Laurie
Shannon,
Thanks for spending a season in Seattle and giving the Storm one more role model for girls out there to emulate…they surely need women athletes with character to look up to. The right basketball team stayed in Seattle, and you’re a great example as to why the Storm and the WNBA matter far beyond the court. Good luck in the future!
It was a great pleasure to watch you in your final WNBA season and I am so glad you decided that Seattle would be your final team — it is too bad the relationship couldn’t last longer. You were fantastic to talk to at the season ticket holder events and I appreciated the honesty and candor in which you spoke.
Best of luck in your future endeavors and know that you did leave a wonderful mark on the WNBA and were a great example for women every where.
Know that there is always a place for you in the hearts of Storm fans and we wish you the best of whatever the future holds for you.
Much love and appreciation ~ Kristi