Former Lady Vols star Jordan Horston 'can finally stand up' for what she believes in as WNBA rookie

Not much in Jordan Horston's life is the same since she became a professional basketball player.

The former Lady Vols star, who was drafted No. 9 overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2023 WNBA Draft, has adapted to many changes in her life during her rookie season. Horston plays a new position, she lives on the other side of the country, she has a new coach to build a relationship with and she has an overabundance of free time she has to learn how to fill.

She also has a newfound freedom to use her platform however she chooses.

"I can finally stand up for what I really believe in," Horston told Knox News.

How Jordan Horston uses her voice as a pro

Horston was decked out in bright colors for Seattle's Pride night.

She wore a rainbow-striped cardigan and a bright pink hat. Her Instagram post said "happy pride month" and "GOGAYS," with a rainbow flag emoji.

A few days later, Horston's tunnel outfit featured a tote bag that said "Read banned books," referencing politicians pushing to censor books available to students in public schools and libraries. The majority of book bans target books with LGBTQ+ themes and characters and books on race and racism.

Horston said after Seattle's Pride night game that she was happy the team had one and took a stance on being inclusive, because "it's not something that we did in college."

"I have voice and I’m going to use it," Horston said. "In college, we had to really be careful with everything we said, and everything we did. But now it’s like, I can be who I am, I can be whatever I want to be and I can say whatever I want."

Being openly gay is still somewhat taboo in college basketball – and college sports in general – despite the number of women's basketball players in college and the pros who identify as LGBTQ+. Horston feels like it's a step college basketball as a whole still has to take.

"You look around the league and you see the majority of the league is gay," Horston said. "There are areas where (Tennessee) can be more inclusive with things, but I feel like that's everywhere. We need to get to a point where it’s normal, because that’s what it is. When you look around the league and all these players – that’s who they are. You can’t deny it, you can’t try to force anything that doesn’t fit whatever you want it to fit."

Jordan Horston welcomed to the league with Aces in first game

Horston likes to observe her opponents during warmups.

Sizing up her opponents before her first career WNBA game felt a little different. The Seattle Storm was playing reigning WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces, which boasts a starting lineup of 2022 MVP and Defensive Player of the Year A'ja Wilson, 2022 Finals MVP Chelsea Gray, All-Stars Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum and Lady Vols legend Candace Parker.

Horston was taking it all in more than she was sizing them up – she was a bit starstruck.

"I was sitting there just in awe, like 'Wow, these are players I grew up admiring and I’m here playing against them now,' " Horston said. "So it was kind of a shock. But I was very happy, honestly."

Horston, a 6-foot-2 guard, has been put in challenging positions as she finds her role within a rebuilding franchise. She has played often at the four, which is completely different than her four years playing on the perimeter at Tennessee.

But through the first half of the season, Horston hit her stride on the court. She's averaging 7.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 steals in 21.8 minutes per game. She recently recorded her third double-double of the season (23 points, 10 rebounds) playing at the Atlanta Dream with the entire Tennessee team and coaches in attendance.

How Noelle Quinn was intentional about building relationship with Jordan Horston

When Horston arrived in Seattle, coach Noelle Quinn had a question.

"What type of coaching do you like?" she asked.

Horston told her she plays better for coaches she builds a relationship with, and Quinn has made consistent efforts to do just that. She asks Horston to go out to eat or grab coffee, and she checks in often.

“I’m surrounded by so many great people," Horston said. "That’s why I really feel like God didn’t make a mistake in placing me here ... All the coaches, I love them and they love me. It’s just been great. I told (Quinn) I need relationships, and I felt that. I felt that she’s really trying to make a relationship with me, get to know me as a person and it helps."

Quinn and her staff's efforts were highlighted by a surprise graduation they threw for Horston, who wasn't able to be in Knoxville with the Storm's first game of the season the same weekend. Quinn told Horston they'd celebrate her achievement.

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Horston knew something was up when she was asked to leave the gym after workouts. She headed to the locker room, but there were people following her. Then someone told her to get her cap and gown on for a photo.

When she walked back into the gym, all her teammates were waiting and Quinn was in her own academic regalia. Orange and white streamers hung from the podium and Horston's teammates cheered as she walked over to Quinn to receive a mock diploma.

"Little stuff like that, just shows they care," Horston said. "They didn’t have to do that. They did that because they care about me and wanted to celebrate me."

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Former Lady Vols star Jordan Horston has already taken stance in WNBA