Breanna Stewart makes WNBA superteam by joining New York Liberty

NEW YORK — Breanna Stewart, the WNBA’s most eligible free agent in years and one of the best basketball players alive, announced Wednesday that she was joining the New York Liberty and ushering in a new era in her career and the league.

After being traded for 2021 League MVP Jonquel Jones last month, the Liberty positioned themselves to improve on last season. The addition of Stewart will make New York one of the top favorites to win the championship, hosts Howard Megdal and Jackie Powell said on Wednesday’s Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast.

“The amount of things that Breanna Stewart has done in her career so far makes it fun to just throw her out,” Megdal said. “Who has won four national championships while being MOP all four times? Just Breanna Stewart. … It’s an offensive force, it’s a defensive force, if they had special teams, it would be a special teams force. She does everything.”

In addition to Stewart, Jones and 2022 WNBA All-Star Sabrina Ionescu, the Liberty also have senior role players and reserves who will make great supporting cast for the Superstars the team has added this offseason.

“The Liberty already have a bank,” Powell said. They don’t go out and try to get a bank.”

New York also has one of the better two-way wings in the WNBA to fill a starting lineup alongside Ionescu, Stewart and Jones.

“The Liberty holds Betnijah Laney in high esteem,” Powell said. The Liberty believe Betnijah Laney can defend one to four, they believe her two-way ability is something that’s not very common in this league.”

Of course, the Liberty must not be finished yet. They are also reportedly pursuing four-time All-Star Courtney Vandersloot.