Breanna Stewart’s 2019 WNBA campaign has come to an end before it got the chance to start. The Seattle Storm standout and reigning league MVP suffered what looked to be a serious right leg injury during a EuroLeague game over the weekend, and on Wednesday, the team announced that Stewart’s injury will prevent her from taking the floor in this year.
Seattle put out a release saying that Stewart, who was monumental as the the Storm won their third WNBA Championship in franchise history last year, suffered a ruptured achilles tendon. While she’s expected to “make a full recovery” in time to start the 2020 campaign, Stewart will undergo surgery sometime in the future and will not be able to play in 2019.
“This is a tough time for Stewie and our hearts go out to her,” said Storm CEO and General Manager Alisha Valavanis in the release. “The Storm family is behind her and we will support Stewie in every way we can as she begins her journey back to the court.”
Stewart took to social media following the announcement, thanking those who have offered support and promising that the injury is “just another obstacle that I will overcome.”
— Breanna Stewart (@breannastewart) April 17, 2019
It’s a huge loss for both the Storm and the game of basketball, as Stewart is one of the game’s best players and ambassadors. Stewart stuffed the stat sheet en route to her first WNBA MVP award, averaging 21.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.3 steals during the 2018 campaign.
