Goodbye, Stewie
By Bel Garcia
Seattle, WA - I started writing this article with the full belief that Breanna Stewart would choose to carry on Sue Bird’s legacy in Seattle. While this may not have happened, everything written here is now an acknowledgement of her accomplishments and all that she gave to our city.
Breanna Stewart rises up for a shot over Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson (Photo by Mathew Bermudez)
A former UCONN Husky, Stewie’s story with Seattle began in 2016 when she was chosen first overall by the Seattle Storm. She quickly lived up to her expectations as a ball player scoring 23 points in her debut game, followed by a career-high 38 points to record the second most points scored for the franchise, behind Storm great Lauren Jackson. She was awarded the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award with a stat line of 18.3 points a game, 9.3 rebounds per game and 1.8 blocks per game. Behind her performances and Sue Bird leading at point, the Storm made it to the playoffs, but fell short of their goal as they were ousted in the first round.
Breanna Stewart helps up teammate Ezi Magbegor (Photo by Mathew Bermudez)
A known All-Star in the years to come, Stewie was named to the WNBA All-Star Game in the ’17 and ’18 seasons. Her dominance on the court continued as she elevated her game with season-high point games scoring 30+, putting her name in the top of the league in scoring. While coming up short once again in the 2017 season, Stewart would have a breakout season in 2018 earning her the MVP award and propelling her team to a 26-8 record season and the #1 seed in the league. Seattle earned a double bye to the semifinals, in which they would eventually face off against the Phoenix Mercury. A game in which Stewart tallied off 6-three pointers in a new career-high. After successfully moving past the Mercury in a total of five games, the Storm advanced to the WNBA finals for the first time since 2010. Sweeping the Washington Mystics and winning her first championship, Stewart averaged 25.7 points, 6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 steals. She was awarded Finals MVP and swept the MVP title for the year earning it in the regular and postseason.
Stewart rises up for a contested layup against the Minnesota Lynx (Photo by Mathew Bermudez)
On an upward projectile and looking forward to how she could grow, we were all saddened by her season ending injury in 2019. While playing overseas, Breanna Stewart suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the EuroLeague final that sidelined her for the whole season. Despite her injury, Stewart bounced back and continued her stride to grow in the league. In what was known as the Bubble Year for the WNBA, Breanna Stewart helped propel the Seattle Storm to the WNBA Finals. In a year that came with many unknowns and an unprecedented way of life and playing the sport, Seattle had the mental toughness to sweep the Las Vegas Aces for Stewart’s second championship. She was the obvious choice for Finals MVP leading her team with 28.3 ppg on 65% shooting from beyond the arc and 7.7 rpg. In 2021 she led the Storm to a Commissioners Cup victory and added another MVP trophy to her case.
Breanna Stewart elevates for an elbow jumper against the Las Vegas Aces (Photo by Mathew Bermudez)
Stewart made her case for MVP in the 2022 season once again but fell short to A’ja Wilson. Although Wilson took home the hardware, Breanna Stewart played like the most valuable player every time she took the court for Seattle. She continues to add to her skill set and work on her level of play. This season she was putting it all out on the floor for her team, but there was a special motivation coming from it being Sue Bird’s final year. Several times teammates suggested that they wanted Bird to go out with a bang, Stewie repeatedly emphasize the importance that Sue had to her.
Seattle’s big three of Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, and Jewell Loyd is now officially broken up (Photo by Neil Enns)
Her overall resume puts her at the top of the league in many categories, she’s been named to the first-team All-WNBA and has competed on the national/international stage in addition to several other accolades. On might make the conclusion that Sue Bird tied up what playing for Seattle was about to Breanna Stewart. Whatever her reason for taking her talents to New York may be, we know one thing for sure. Stewart will continue to play at a top tier level in this league and put any team in a position to win. Her shoes will be tough to fill, but we should appreciate the years that she gave us and the city of Seattle in all her athleticism and activism, as well as her charismatic personality in the press room.
Cover photo by Neil Enns