This week as you tune into games in the WNBA, you won't see Minnesota's traditional home uniforms or Seattle's signature green jerseys on the court tonight. Instead, you'll see pink in a show of support for Breast Health Awareness Week around the league.
Another place you'll see pink isn't just in the sneakers, whistles, uniforms and coaches' attire, but something else rather nontraditional - in Ashley Robinson's hair.
The shock of hair that spent some time as Dallas Mavericks blue to celebrate her hometown team's NBA championship was purple as the Storm rolled away from Tulsa with a 89-72 win over the weekend.
"I had blue for the Mavs winning the championship and then I just wanted to change it up," said Robinson after the Storm's trip to the BOK Center this past weekend. "I told my hairdresser I wanted purple so I let him pick the shade of purple. I'm about to go pink because we have a pink game coming up at home and I'm going to do pink for the pink game."
One color you won't see touch Robinson's hair any time soon is red because she doesn't want to emulate Rihanna's style, but rather create her own.
"Some Storm fans want me to go green, so maybe after pink I'll go green. I just have to find the right shade of green. Then maybe for the playoffs I'll go back blue so we can try to do what the Mavs did."
Actually, the Storm would be one-upping the Mavericks with a championship repeat in 2011 and their third title in the 2000s.
The Storm dominated last season, through and through, cruising through their schedule with hardly a scratch. This year, the Minnesota Lynx seem to be the team to beat, but the ladies from the Emerald City aren't ready to relinquish their title just yet.
"I think until there's another champion, we're still the defending champs," Swin Cash said and Robinson agrees.
"I'm going to go with my team. I always go with the home team. Win or lose, I feel like our team is the best team," Robinson said. "Everyone wants to get Seattle. We ran through the league last year so everybody wants to get a piece of us. It's always nice to be the defending champions, but we know we have a target on our back."
The defending champs do have a bit of a different look this season, as they pound through the schedule without Lauren Jackson, who has been sidelined for more than a month. The often asked questions on the absence of Jackson
"I've talked about this a bunch, but unfortunately we've had to respond to Lauren's injuries in the past," Sue Bird said. "Really, the only reason I bring that up is to say we're kind of used to it. We have a bunch of veteran players in here that know one player's absence is just another's opportunity."
One who has taken advantage of her opportunity is Robinson and her nifty hair do.
"With Lauren being out that's a big void for my team and I've just been really focusing on getting better every day, trying to fill that void," Robsinson said. "I'm trying to do my job, do what I do best. Brian said from the very beginning of the season he was going to give me an opportunity to play.
"He thought I could be the most improved player in the league and knowing that Coach had that confidence in me, I already had my teammates confidence in me and the fans in Seattle, they embrace me like I'm their little baby. They want me to do so well. It was only a matter of time for me to play well, I needed to, it was time."
The eight-year pro has posted career-highs in points and field goals this season and even went for a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double at Chicago on July 19th in her first start of the season. Robinson has been averaging over 21 minutes a night in her last ten games.
"I don't think it's my peak, but I know it's my highlight of my basketball career so far," Robinson reflected on the season. "Last year was great to win a championship, but I said this year I want to contribute on the court and I'm getting that chance. I'm trying to seize the moment and make the best of my opportunity. It's been really rewarding and fun to get to play and I'm glad we're winning too."
When the Storm take to the court tonight against San Antonio, she'll be seizing her opportunity in front of an always raucous home crowd at Key Arena.
"When we play at home, our fans embrace us. We call them the Storm Crazies for a reason," Robinson said. "It's a crazy environment and they support us win or lose. They expect us to be the best team every night and that's great home court advantage."
And tonight that home court advantage - and Robinson's locks - will be pretty in pink.