Along with a desire to add a third ring to her trophy cabinet, Breanna Stewart was also driven to avoid her second career loss in the Finals this year. After losing 3-1 to the Las Vegas Aces in 2023, Stewie and the New York Liberty had no intention of repeating that outcome in 2024.
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Speaking to ESPN’s Hannah Storm, Stewart reflected on how last season’s loss powered her during the 2023-24 campaign. “I definitely remembered that feeling, losing to Vegas in game 4 at New York,” the six-time All-Star said. “It was gut-wrenching. And really, having a scar, you know. Just from the way- even the way that the last play went down.”
In game 4 of the 2023 WNBA Finals, the Liberty let the game slip out of their hands. They blew a double-digit lead in the third quarter but remained within fighting distance until the very last possession. Down by 1 with 8.8 seconds on the clock, head coach Sandy Brondello drew up a play for Stewart to save the series.
However, the reigning MVP, who had just 10 points to her name, was quickly shut down by Alysha Clark. Stewart was forced to kick the ball out to Courtney Vandersloot who airballed a Hail Mary three-pointer and allowed the Aces to become the first WNBA team to repeat since 2002.
In 2024, Stewart did not want to go home empty-handed again. She had a clear goal — “making sure that that wasn’t going to happen this year.” And that’s exactly what she achieved.
The 2024 championship did not come without its hurdles
Since leaving Seattle two seasons ago, Stewart has faced a ton of expectations. The Liberty boasted a star-studded roster with multiple league MVPs, heralding the WNBA’s Super Team era. As such, they were the immediate favorites to hoist the championship though, despite making the Finals, New York’s season was ultimately viewed with disappointment.
As a veteran in the league, Stewart also knew that making consecutive runs to the Finals came with its own set of challenges. “Courtney Vandersloot and I kind of really tried to talk to the team about, like, the mental and physical toll that it takes on your body to, like, win a championship,” the 30-year-old added. “But just continuing to fight through that.”
In game 3 of the 2024 Finals, Breanna’s experience and determination were on full display. She led the Liberty to a 15-point comeback, securing a three-point win in Minnesota with 30 points and 11 rebounds.
Unfortunately, she struggled in the final two games, shooting poorly from the field and averaging only 12 points. Thankfully for her and the Liberty, Jonquel Jones rose to the occasion on both nights, dropping 17 points in game 4 and 21 in game 5. She averaged 17.8 points on 56% from the field and grabbed 7.6 rebounds per game, winning her first Finals MVP and leading the Liberty to their first championship ever.
