There was never really any doubt that Breanna Stewart would re-sign with the New York Liberty, but it got late in the offseason before the defending WNBA champions made it official.
New York Liberty sign former UConn star as they pursue back-to-back titles
Breanna Stewart re-signs with the defending champs on a one-year deal just a few weeks before the start of training camp.
Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
Noa Dalzell is a senior writer covering the WNBA and all of women’s basketball for Breakaway, SB Nation’s women’s sports vertical, as well as the Celtics for CelticsBlog.
Stewart, a two-time MVP and a key piece of the Liberty’s 2024 championship team, entered the offseason a free agency but made her preference for staying in New York so clear that she was hardly considered a free agent.
Now, just a few weeks before the start of training camp, the Liberty have officially re-signed the former UConn star, on a one-year guaranteed deal at $208,400, per Madeline Kenney of the NY Post.
Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb was emphatic about Stewart’s impact in his official statement.
“Bringing Stewie back to the Liberty was our top priority this offseason,” he said. “Her impact on and off the court is immeasurable—she’s not only one of the best and most accomplished players in the world, but a leader whose relentless drive is foundational to the standard we continue to build upon in New York.”
Stewart signed with the Liberty in 2022 and has averaged 21.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.4 blocks across two seasons with the organization. In 2023, she led the team to a WNBA Finals appearance, while in 2024, they got over the hump for the first time in franchise history to beat the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Finals.
She is a three-time WNBA Champion (two previous titles came with the Seattle Storm), three-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time WNBA MVP, two-time WNBA Finals MVP, six-time All-WNBA First Team, six-time WNBA All-Star, and six-time All-Defensive Team selection.
The Liberty will once again be among the WNBA’s top title contenders
Next season, Stewart will headline a core that includes sharpshooter Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones, who won Finals MVP last fall. German forward Leonie Fiebich, who has a standout rookie season, rounds out the projected starting lineup, with Nyarra Sabally expected to be a key contributor off the bench.
The Liberty added elite two-way guard Natasha Cloud via trade, in addition to backup big Isabelle Harrison via free agency.
Next season, the Liberty will be without Kayla Thornton, a veteran forward who the Golden State Valkyries selected in their expansion, as well as point guard Courtney Vandersloot, who signed with the Chicago Sky in free agency.
There should be several teams in the mix for a championship next season, including the Liberty, Lynx, Indiana Fever, Las Vegas Aces — even the Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury if everything comes together. Given that the defending champions likely only got better this offseason — and have now secured one of their core pieces — the Liberty have as good of a chance to secure a championship as anyone.
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