Finally, after eight long seasons in the WNBA, Megan Gustason has found a perfect match.
The former Hawkeye star was one of the most decorated female basketball players in the country during her time in Iowa City, including earning National Player of the Year honors in 2019. Gustafson has not experienced the same success in the WNBA, but she has found renewed vigor in Portland.
Gustafson headed to Portland in the offseason after spending two seasons with the Las Vegas Aces, and if the Fire's most recent victory over the Indiana Fever is any indication of the future, it is a perfect partnership.
Gustafson fought back tears while thanking Portland for its belief in her
In her first start of the 2026 season, Gustafson was unstoppable as the Fire ran the Indiana Fever out of the gym during a 100-84 victory. The headline going into the game was the matchup between two former Hawkeye greats, Caitlin Clark and Gustafson, with Gustafson stealing the show.
While Clark had her worst game of the season with six points, Gustafson dropped a team-leading 22 points on a perfect 8/8 shooting from the field in 28 minutes in place of starting center Luisa Geiseloder.
Her 22-point outburst came on the heels of notching career point No. 800, and while her perfect night has WNBA fans talking, it was topped by her emotional postgame press conference.
Megan Gustafson gets emotional postgame talking about her place in Portland:
— Brenna Greene (@BrennaGreene_) May 31, 2026
"We're a bunch of overlooked players... I've never really been respected as a basketball player until I've gotten here... I'm thankful for this team, this organization. They believe in me." pic.twitter.com/OEuLAkenb5
Fighting back tears, Gustafson was visibly emotional when discussing her place with Portland. She has felt largely disrespected to this point in her career, but she is thankful for her new team and for the organization's belief in her.
All Hawkeye fans know how dominating Gustafson can be when she is given the chance, and Portland's belief in her abilities has been rewarded by her playing some of the best basketball of her professional career.
After the game against the Fever, her scoring average jumped to 10.4 points per game, which would easily pass her previous career high of 7.9 points per game during the 2023 season with the Phoenix Mercury. Gustafson has become a crucial part of the Fire's success through the early stages of the season, and her hard work has finally paid off.
After spending almost two years with four different organizations, Gustafson has put in the work to become a reliable scorer from anywhere on the court. With the Hawkeyes, she was known for her dominating post presence and ability to score at the rim, and now, she has stretched her range beyond the three-point line.
From shooting 11 percent from beyond the arc as a rookie to becoming a career 36 percent shooter proves Gustafson has put in the work, and it's finally paying dividends for her in Portland. Hopefully, for Gustafson, she stays healthy and continues to give Portland a spark off the bench or in spot starts.
It is not easy for an expansion team to make the playoffs in its inaugural season, but the Golden State Valkyries set the bar high after doing just that in 2025. While it's still early in the 2026 season, Portland is in fourth place in the Western Conference standings and fifth overall, and has had a solid start.
Gustafson is a huge part of Portland's early success, and all Hawkeye fans are extremely happy for her.
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