In May 2020, Breanna Stewart had the flex to end all flexes. The then-Seattle Storm star posted an Instagram video showing her college and professional championship rings outnumbering her available fingers. Since then, Stewart added her second WNBA championship with the Storm later in 2020 and another Olympic gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021. But as decorated as Stewie is, there’s one ring missing.
Stewart shook up the WNBA landscape when she left Seattle, her home since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2016, for the New York Liberty in February 2023. She secured her second WNBA MVP in her first season in New York, but the Liberty fell short in the 2023 WNBA Finals to the Las Vegas Aces, now the reigning back-to-back champs.
This season, Stewart wants to bring the Liberty their first-ever championship, which would also be the first New York championship across pro sports since the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots Super Bowl XLVI in February 2012. Led by Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones, the Liberty entered 2024 All-Star Weekend with a league-best 21-4 record, so a WNBA title is there for the taking.
But first, Stewart is focused on collecting her third Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Before heading to Paris with her wife, Marta Xargay, and their two young children, Ruby and Theo, Stewart supported Jones at the Starry 3-Point Contest and dropped 31 points during the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game.
The six-time All-Star also caught up with Dime at the Starry activation at WNBA Live. Stewart touched on launching Unrivaled with Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier, chasing Diana Taurasi, and of course, Ellie The Elephant, the Liberty’s (and everyone’s) beloved mascot.
Unrivaled will launch in January. The league is yours and Phee’s brainchild. Can you trace its origin back to anything specific that made the light bulb go off, like, Hey, we can actually do this?
Looking back, I had a conversation with [Unrivaled President and Collier’s husband] Alex Bazzell in New York two years ago, and he kind of brainstormed the idea, and I was like, “This is amazing, but how can we do it?” From there, we were just putting our heads together and figuring out exactly what we wanted to make this league and how we could get players, but also investors, to be a part of it.
As you developed it, what made Unrivaled, unrivaled?
What makes Unrivaled unique is just the fact that this is a thing that hasn’t been done before, especially 3-on-3. This caliber of players, the highest average salary in women’s sports history. It’s going to be a vibe, for sure. I can’t believe it happened, and it only took two years to really get off the ground.
If I listed off all of your accomplishments, it would take up my full time allotment, so what fuels your competitive fire at this point?
I want to continue to win, and representing Team USA? Going to the Olympics? That doesn’t get old. So, it’s wanting to win gold medals and chase Diana [Taurasi], really. As far as the WNBA, bring a championship to the Liberty.
It’s your second season in New York, but has there been a joyful moment or something to reaffirm, Oh this is why I came here?
I think it’s just the way that the team has been. The way that the fans have really been engaged, had our back and supporting us throughout this entire season. Everybody knows women’s sports, women’s basketball, has been at a tipping point this year. But they’ve been there. They’ve been supporting us since I got there. It’s been amazing.
Do you have a favorite Ellie The Elephant moment?
Ooh. Last game, Ellie was wearing my [Puma Stewie signature] shoes, so I did love that. I saw Ellie earlier. We were doing media together.
You’re the the reigning WNBA MVP. How are you bringing unique value to the Liberty this year?
I think what I’m doing probably a little bit better this year is just being really great at two-way — being a two-way player, making an impact defensively. And that’s one through five. I think we’re switching a lot more, so understanding where to be on the court and how to help my team get the ball back.
I adore Emily Johnson’s behind-the-scenes videos of you with your daughter, Ruby. Is she too young to understand what you’re doing?
Honestly, I mean, it’s amazing to have Ruby be a part of events like this. She probably wishes that she were here today because she would want to go out [into W Live]. But [I love] surrounding her with incredible role models and people she can look up to. She probably won’t remember this Olympics, but she’ll look back at pictures and be like, “Wow, I spent my third birthday in Paris. That’s pretty cool.”
Do you see proof with her, even at such a young age, that women’s sports are being normalized?
Yeah, because I think she just expects it. She just expects things to be the way that they are based on how we’ve lived them. That just means that we’re doing a great job of setting the standard.
What separates this year’s 2024 Paris Olympics from your past two Olympic experiences?
What stands out about these this Olympics is the fact that we haven’t had a normal Olympics in a while. In Tokyo, there were no fans, no friends, no family. So I’m excited about having spectators, having my family be there. And immersing ourselves in the Parisian culture.
Knock on wood because I don’t want to speak this into existence, but if there were a house fire, which of your basketball accolades would you run back in to save?
[Knocks on her head] A house fire?! Oh, my gold medals. Come on.
