Breanna Stewart is running it back with the New York Liberty for another season — and she’s helping her team in the process.
The WNBA’s reigning MVP has agreed to a one-year deal with the Liberty, The Athletic reported Monday. The deal is a non-guaranteed contract that’s below the maximum value, a move that will help the Liberty’s roster construction, according to The Athletic.
Stewart helped lead the Liberty to immediate success in her first season in New York, scoring 23 points per game as she finished second in the league in scoring. She was also third in rebounding (9.3) and fourth in blocks (1.6) and steals (1.4) per game, helping her win her second MVP award in addition to a first-team All-Defensive nod.
The Liberty doubled their win total as a result of Stewart’s arrival, winning 32 games in 2023 en route to finishing in first place in the Eastern Conference. The Liberty also made their way to the WNBA Finals but lost to the Las Vegas Aces in four games. Stewart struggled in the series, scoring 16.3 points per game but only putting up 10 points on 3 of 17 shooting in the final deciding game.
With Stewart back in the mix, the Liberty will likely be in title contention again. She led the Seattle Storm to two titles in her six seasons with the franchise before leaving in 2023.
Now, the Liberty’s attention turns to rounding out their roster for 2024. Fellow stars Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot are under contract, while Jonquel Jones re-signed with the team in January on a two-year deal. Marine Johannès, who was the Liberty’s top player off the bench in 2024, remains a free agent.
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