Breanna Stewart waved goodbye to Seattle in February 2023 as she took her talents to New York. Drafted as the No. 1 overall pick in 2016, Stewart had joined forces with the Storm legend Sue Bird and Jewell Loyd and spent seven seasons in Seattle. During that time, Stewart added several titles like 2x WNBA champion, 2x WNBA Finals MVP, 2x League MVP, 4x All-Star, etc to her resume. But something didn’t give as the eighth season was arriving.

She was already dropping cryptic hints on social media in the off-season. Hence, it was before last season when Stewart took to social media to announce her decision to join forces with the Liberty. So why did she leave?

When Breanna Stewart ended the Seattle era

While she never expressed it publically, her reason for leaving might have to do with several factors. In 2023, Stewart was a free agent. The last contract she signed with Seattle was in 2022, under which she received an average salary of $228,094 for one year and would become a free agent in 2023. Hence, she could see the number of opportunities stacking beyond Seattle, i.e. in New York.

One of those opportunities was the chance to work more with Puma, her signature shoe brand. Secondly, her wife, Marta Xargay, is from Spain, so there is a shorter flight distance from New York as compared to what it is from Seattle. Moreover, Stewart herself was born in Syracuse, New York, and she possibly didn’t want to give up the chance to represent her home team. She even spent four years at UConn before Seattle drafted her in 2016. There are likely more tangible reasons than simply wanting to be close to home, though.

ESPN reported that charter flights were a factor in Stewart wanting to wear a New York uniform. Chartering had been a point of contention among several players, and though the Liberty were fined $500,000 for doing so — they did break bargaining agreement rules by having their flights chartered in the 2022 season.

Furthermore, Storm was also going through a roster reshuffle and figuring out their way forward without Sue Bird. So, it can be said that Stewi’s departure from Seattle came at perfect timing, ending an era of championship contention. Stewie could see the scope of growth in New York and she was right.

Stewie’s run with the Liberty

“I feel like, why not go to the biggest market in all of sports,” Breanna Stewart told SportsCenter after making the move. “And I’m really excited to go after their first championship.” The Liberty instantly became contenders, competing against the Las Vegas Aces in the Finals last year. Although she was playing for a different team for the first time in her career, she put out some pretty impressive numbers, averaging 23 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game.

Teaming up with elite players like Sabrina Ionescu, Stewart had 23 double-doubles through the season as she was named the league MVP. This year as well, Stewart has played a major role in carrying the Liberty to the top of the league standings as we enter the playoffs.

As for her years in Seattle, she lived up to the team’s expectations since her arrival on the roster. However, despite all that time, a missing piece could be felt, like something still had to be fulfilled. Maybe that’s what Breanna Stewart is trying to achieve. But for what it’s worth, there still awaits a time in future for her jersey retirement in Seattle.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger