Your Day in Women’s Basketball, July 15: It’s Breanna Stewart time
WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart is here to wreak havoc on the league
After a yearlong absence, courtesy of a ruptured Achilles, 2018 WNBA MVP and Finals MVP Breanna Stewart returns to the Storm in their quest for her second WNBA championship. Stewart and Sue Bird have had to adapt to playing with fresh faces on campus, but should be able to adjust quickly given their track record of success.
With Stewart back, the Storm are the likely favorites to win the championship, with the Mercury, Sky, and Mystics (if Delle Donne plays) vying for the throne as well. But even in this wild upcoming season, the Storm look like the safe bet.
The Minnesota Lynx are making a run for top Tik Tok team in the bubble as they aim to keep their spirits high. Not everyone knows exactly what they’re doing (looking at you, coach Reeve) but they’re doing what they can to stay happy, and more importantly, healthy. Not everything has clicked on the court according to Sylvia Fowles, but they’re doing what they can to get there.
More from Big Ten Conference
- Your Day in Women’s Basketball, October 15: Brian Agler out the door in Dallas
- Your Day in Women’s Basketball, July 29: WNBA Ratings Spike 20%
- Your Day in Women’s Basketball, July 20: Mystics’ Tina Charles to miss season
- Your Day in Women’s Basketball, July 2: Maya Moore helps overturn wrongful conviction
- Taylor Mikesell to appeal for immediate eligibilty at Oregon
In the college world, the Patriot League became the second conference to cancel fall sports. For now, that means women’s basketball is safe. Last season it looked like Bucknell would sweep the conference to capture their second straight tournament championship, though the tournament was canceled before the semifinals due to COVID-19.
Multiple coaches said their top priority ahead of the season is making sure players are in good mental health, with Bucknell head coach Trevor Woodruff telling The Next that “The unknown and unexpected really add a lot of anxiety.”
A conference that has yet to cancel, the Big Ten, has two transfers who are making the unprecedented jump from the Ivy League. We can’t help but recommend this feature by The Next’s Jenn Hatfield on Minnesota’s Laura Bagwell Katalinich and Maryland’s Katie Benzan. If you’re a sucker for heartwarming stories about zeros-to-heroes, check it out.
On socials, many players and fans reacted to the news that the WNBA denied Elena Delle Donne’s medical exemption.