If the New York Liberty want to win another championship with the core of Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, and Breanna Stewart, they need the latter healthy and at her best. That was not the case last season. Stewart underwent meniscus surgery on her right knee ahead of the 2025 season, missed 13 games with a bone bruise on the same knee, and suffered another left knee injury in Game 1 of the Liberty’s first-round series against the Mercury.
While Stewart was able to play in the next two games and recorded 30 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in Game 3, the Liberty were eliminated from the playoffs in just three games. The loss capped off an overall disappointing season that saw the Liberty struggle with injuries and fail to replicate their 2024 success.
The only players currently under contract for the 2026 season are Nyara Sabally and Leonie Fiebich, but GM Jonathan Kolb said he had the “utmost confidence” that Stewart, Ionescu, and Jones would all re-sign with the Liberty. If that is the case, the Liberty will be under a lot of pressure to win. Stewart’s comments during her team’s latest Unrivaled win should be music to Liberty fans’ ears.
“I feel great,” Stewart said during an in-game interview with Ros Gold-Onwude. “Really getting back into it and getting back to my game, doing what I do; three-level scorer and just being confident in all my shots.”
If Stewart returns to the Liberty healthy and in great shape, the team’s title chances immediately improve.
Breanna Stewart is playing well in Unrivaled
Stewart isn’t just one of Unrivaled’s co-founders. She is also one of the biggest stars in the league. She is playing like that, too. Stewart is one of two Mist players who put up at least 18 points per game over the team’s first four matches. She also leads the team in rebounds and minutes per game.
Stewart’s size and versatility on both ends of the floor make her a matchup nightmare in Unrivaled’s full-court three-on-three game. She even scored 22 points against a Laces team that features Alyssa Thomas, one of the best two-way forwards in the game, and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Overall, Stewart is scoring pretty efficiently, but her threes still aren’t falling. Stewart shot a career-worst 24.1% from three with the Liberty this past season. It took her four Unrivaled games to hit one shot from behind the arc. Overall, she is now 1-15 from three.
Stewart’s inconsistency from three is worrying, but she may be able to iron it out over the rest of her season with the Mist and return to the Liberty ready to lead another championship run. Seeing Stewart healthy and able to play like herself is the most important thing for the Liberty.