Despite winning 10 of their first 11 regular-season matchups, the New York Liberty have stumbled into a period of inconsistency. The reigning WNBA champions now sit in fifth place with a reasonable 24-17 record, but the manner of their recent performances has raised questions over their championship credentials.
Currently, the Liberty's offensive talisman, Sabrina Ionescu, is sidelined with a lingering toe injury that has seen the 27-year-old sit out three consecutive fixtures—including the most recent 58-66 defeat to the Golden State Valkyries.
Without Ionescu's 18.8 points per game, New York appears to be a shell of the team that conquered the mighty Minnesota Lynx in the 2024 WNBA Finals. Desperate to find a spark in their offense, the franchise requires another superstar to step up and ignite a campaign that is swiftly turning stale. Breanna Stewart is back on the court after a long absence and will have to help carry her team over the finish line.
Breanna Stewart must become New York's saviour
It is far from a secret that Breanna Stewart is one of the deadliest forwards to grace a WNBA court and a renowned winner at every level. With three WNBA championships, three Olympic gold medals, and three FIBA World Cup wins to her name, Stewart has more than enough experience to handle the burden of being a team's primary offensive option when games matter the most.
This will be a vital component if the Liberty wishes to claim the top seed in a tightly contested Eastern Conference—with the quietly impressive Atlanta Dream currently sitting 2.5 games ahead in the standings.
Stewart has been in insatiable form when on the court for New York in 2025, averaging 18 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game and displaying how vital the two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player is on both sides of the ball.
Not even the most pessimistic of supporters could question how integral the 31-year-old is to head coach Sandy Brondello's system. Stewart has been unavailable for 13 games during the Liberty's regular-season schedule; worryingly, the team struggled to scrape together five wins during that brutal period.
The New York Liberty is still relentlessly pursuing the top seed available in the Eastern Conference. Breanna Stewart will have to shoulder the immense pressure of being the leading star in the 'Big Apple' if these ambitions are going to be fulfilled—something that the deadly forward will undoubtedly thrive on.