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Breanna Stewart honored by USA Basketball, proves again she was born to lead

TENERIFE, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 30: Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd and Dan Hughes of the USA National Team pose for a photo with the championship trophy after winning the Gold Medal Game against Australia during the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup at Pabellon de Deportes de Tenerife Santiago Martin on September 30, 2018 in San Cristobal de La Laguna, Spain. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/NBAE via Getty Images)
TENERIFE, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 30: Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd and Dan Hughes of the USA National Team pose for a photo with the championship trophy after winning the Gold Medal Game against Australia during the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup at Pabellon de Deportes de Tenerife Santiago Martin on September 30, 2018 in San Cristobal de La Laguna, Spain. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/NBAE via Getty Images)

All she sees is gold.

A WNBA title, seven USA Basketball gold medals, WNBA Rookie of the Year, WNBA MVP and now the 2018 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year — for the third time. Who other than Breanna Stewart?

After leading the USA Basketball Women’s World Cup Team to a gold medal and a perfect 6-0 record, it’s no wonder Dawn Staley couldn’t keep her off the floor. Stewart finished in double-digit points in all six games while shooting a .471 clip from the field.

And you think that’s impressive? Well, she also joined the team just two days prior to the start of the 2018 World Cup. Sorry, everyone, she and Sue Bird were a tad busy bringing a WNBA championship to the city of Seattle. Team USA could wait.

Think about that. Think about how much goes into building a team’s chemistry and how long that generally takes. Granted, Stewart has played with and against her teammates before, but to be thrown in with that little of time to prepare with her own team is admirable.

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Admirable for more reasons than one.

For one, it speaks to her character. Sometimes the all-stars on teams are no fun to play with. It’s easy to be selfish and not always have a good attitude when you’re the best and you know you’ll play anyway.

It also would have been easy for her to turn down the opportunity, given her WNBA season went as long as it possibly could and any reasonable human may need or want a break.

“Rest is for the dead.” – Breanna Stewart, probably.

Stewart doesn’t make excuses — she simply leads by example with humility and grit. She’s highly respected because of it. That formula is an easy one to follow no matter how long you’ve been around someone. That combination is impossible to find any wrong in.

Stewart doesn’t just naturally attract chemistry because of how she is: grounded and wise beyond her years. It wouldn’t be surprising if anyone that plays with her forgets how young she is.

Stewart, quite literally, IS chemistry and everything you’d want on and for a team.

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