Sue Bird (left knee) and Breanna Stewart (right knee) have not been cleared to play and are listed as day-to-day, the Seattle Storm announced on Saturday. They will not participate in the team’s season opener against the reigning WNBA champion Los Angeles Sparks.
The full statement from the team is below:
"“Sue and Breanna have not been cleared to play for today’s game in Los Angeles and continue to be listed as day-to-day. They will be evaluated again in advance of tomorrow’s home opener against Indiana.”"
As a rookie in 2016, Stewart led the Storm in minutes (34.7), points (18.3), rebounds (9.3), and blocks (1.9) per game. She was also second on the team in assists per game (3.4) and shot 45.7 percent from the field. Fans will have to wait at least another day to see how she follows up her first season.
Bird is a seasoned veteran and also vital to Seattle’s success. She started all 34 regular season games last year, scoring 12.8 points and dishing out 5.8 assists. The former No. 1 pick is set to begin her 15th season with the Storm.
Seattle opens its season at 5 p.m. ET in Los Angeles. Fans can catch the game on ESPN.