There have been times in the 2024 WNBA season where New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart has struggled to get on the scoresheet. And one of those stints reared its head on Thursday night against the Seattle Storm. Stewart struggled mightily on the offensive end in the first half. She took eight shots, and the only one she connected on was a free throw. The two-time WNBA MVP attempted no three-pointers in that stretch.
Needless to say, she was far from her season average of 20 points per game. However, now might be the time to remind you, gentle reader, that Stewart is a bona fide winner.
She won four consecutive NCAA titles at UConn and remains the only player in college history to win the Final Four Most Outstanding Player four times. She's won two WNBA titles with the Storm, and collected her second WNBA MVP award last year while leading the Liberty to their first championship series in 20 years.
Last season marked her first time reaching a WNBA Finals and not walking away with a ring. New York dropped Game 4 to the Las Vegas -- despite the Aces being without Chelsea Gray and Kiah Stokes -- and watched as the back-to-back champs celebrated on their home court at Barclays Center.
For a competitor so accustomed to winning, like Stewart, that can be a lot to take. But sometimes there's a difference between motivation and mobilization.
Before the Olympic break, Stewart averaged 19.3 points which is nearly five points lower than her career average of 23.8. Most notably, Stewart, who has built a career on being one of the most versatile forwards in the game shot just a touch more than 21% from the perimeter. She averages a 36% clip from the perimeter in her career and only once -- this season -- is she averaging less than 30%.
So, what was the issue?
One main factor was the emotional, mental, and physical toll preparing the Olympics. In June, the Syracuse-native was tapped for her Olympic Team, and her first trip traveling with her family: wife Marta, and children Ruby and Theo.
Now 30, Stewart has been subject to questions about her declining performance, or whether she is beyond her prime. It's an interesting thought. Is Stewart falling short of the rigorous pace she's set for herself?
Stewart sees things differently.
"Take this in the right way; the Olympics are behind me," Stewart told media after practice last week. "We got that job done. That is mentally and physically, a toll in itself, and [I'm] really kind of putting my entire focus here with the Liberty and being confident when I do."
Stewart sits in the top 10 for rebounds per game this season. That and efficiency are how she measures her performance nightly. "Rebounds because that's a hustle thing. And then efficiency, you know. I want to be efficient every time that I'm on the court," she said.
Stewart leads the Liberty with a 24.9 efficiency rating, which is also third-best in the league behind A'ja Wilson (35.6) and Napheesa Collier (25.6). Since the Olympic break, Stewart has tallied 22.7 points and is shooting a 44.4% clip from the arc. These are much closer to the vintage Stewie the WNBA is accustomed to, and the version New York hopes continues deep into the postseason.
As for individual awards, Stewart admitted she does consider them, "You know you want to be in those conversations," Stewart told New York media members this week. However, there is something more important on her mind since falling short of a title last year.
"With this season and with this team, I'm just really looking forward to finishing the regular season strong and getting us back to where we want to be in the playoffs," Stewart said.
With their 77-70 win over the Storm on Thursday, the Liberty remain in first place with a good chance to take the top seed and claim home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Despite a very slow start, Stewart ended the game against her former team with 14 points and seven rebounds.
The Liberty's next test will be against the Aces Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn. This will be the third and final meeting between the top two teams from last season, although New York already owns a 2-0 edge in this season's head-to-head matchup. Sure, the Aces struggled out the gate in 2024, but they've won four straight, have clinched a playoff spot and currently sit fourth overall in the league with one week left in the regular season.
As for Stewart, this is the window that she has been waiting for. She can, and likely will, need do it all on the court for New York to claim its first WNBA title in franchise history. And that's precisely why the Liberty entrust her.
Myles Ehrlich contributed to the reporting in this story.
