With an average of 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 2025, Breanna Stewart will lead the New York Liberty to the 2026 WNBA playoffs.
Breanna Stewart, one of the most decorated players in New York Liberty history, has rightfully earned two MVP awards, three championships, and two Finals MVP awards. Stewart set a WNBA single-season record with 40-point games in 2023, while also tying the league’s single-season record with five 35-plus point games. Stewart scored a franchise-high 45 points along with 12 rebounds and three assists, and she earned her first MVP with Liberty, and was a key leader on the 2023 Commissioner’s Cup championship team.
Stewart, having earned four NCAA titles and four NCAA Final Four MVPS at UConn, often ranked among the top 10 due to such versatility in playing and defending multiple positions as well as her all-around statistical production—6’4” forward with elite rim protection and perimeter shooting of her generation.
The New York Liberty struggled with severe injuries in 2025, with Betnijah Laney-Hamilton having to miss the entire season after undergoing surgery. The center, Jonquel Jones, suffered from a right ankle sprain back in June, which caused her to miss nine consecutive games. Breanna Stewart was forced to miss 13 games between July and August, due to a right knee bone bruise back in 2025. She returned to action, still averaging 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game in all she played. Other known key absences were center Nyara Sabally, Kennedy Burke, Sabrina Ionescu, Natasha Cloud, and Isabelle Harrison. Their defensive rating dropped significantly, which resulted in 4-6 in their last 10 and 7-8 in their last 15. Liberty managed to stay competitive for most of the season, starting with a strong opening season with a 10-1 record. They were seeded 5th in the final league-wide standings, resulting in a first-round playoff exit. Having finished the 2025 WNBA season with a 27-17 record.
A team record for the best start in franchise history, 10-1, earlier in the season.
Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu, the “big three,” all started together and went 12-2. The New York Liberty, trying to maintain the momentum, unfortunately, became a struggle for the rest of the season due to injuries. Ionescu ranked 10th in the league in scoring and 6th in assists, becoming the only player in the league to average at least 18 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds in the 2025 season. Jonquel Jones, a former MVP, averaged 13.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in 2025; she was named the 2021 WNBA MVP while playing for the Connecticut Sun and the 2024 WNBA Finals MVP, which led the Liberty to their first championship.
The well-known trio of Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu, and Breanna Stewart is one of the WNBA’s deepest star combinations, combining elite scoring, MVP-level versatility, and high-level playmaking. They are the first trio of teammates in Liberty franchise history to earn All-WNBA Team honors in the same season, and with the “big three” re-signing commitment to New York for 2026 gives stability for both the team and their own fans.
The New York Liberty lost 2-1 to the Mercury, despite a strong regular season. Liberty lost to a team that fell short of a title repeat mainly due to injury issues, which included a knee injury to star Breanna Stewart, leaving them defeated in Game 2 (86-60) before losing the decisive third game at home in New York. Liberty’s WNBA first-round playoff exit against the Phoenix Mercury serves as motivation for the team. With leading stars Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, followed by Jonquel Jones, Leonie Fiebich, as well as new addition Natasha Cloud, all part of the New York Liberty’s fully healthy roster, this helps them maintain their championship core.
“I pride myself on being a winner and continuing to kind of uplift and build a space for all players,” Stewart said. Herself, having the championship mindset followed behind her known historic resume and an immediate transition, Stewart led Mist Basketball Club to the 2026 Unrivaled Championship as both co-founder and player, which only added another title to her professional background.
The New York Liberty finished the 2025 WNBA season as the 5th seed, falling 2-1 to the Phoenix Mercury in the first round. With the “big three” healthy, locked in, and hungry, Stewart and the Liberty have unfinished business, and they are playoff-bound in 2026.
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