The Emoji Move! Breanna Stewart Announces She'll Join Liberty
A storm is coming to the New York Liberty.
WNBA superstar Breanna Stewart announced on Wednesday that she is headed to New York, coming back to the Empire State after bursting onto the national basketball scene in her hometown of Syracuse on the floor of Cicero–North Syracuse High School.
Stewart took matters into her own hands when it came to the reveal, unveiling her decision on social media.
Wednesday marked the official opening of the WNBA's free agency period and Stewart had no apparent interest in keeping fans and suitors in suspense. Throughout January, Stewart's Twitter account frequently contained posts that contained only emojis. Appropriately, Stewart ended her quick transactional saga with a picture of the Statue of Liberty, accompanied by a video of her donning New York practice gear for the first time.
Stewart, one of the most lauded players in WNBA history, spent the first seven years of her career with the Seattle Storm. She helped the Storm earn two WNBA titles (2018, 2020) and captured the 2018 WNBA MVP Award. Last season saw Stewart reach new heights in her career, as she tied her career-best scoring average (21.8), lead the WNBA in total points (741), and earn her first WNBA All-Defensive First Team honor. Stewart was also nominated to her fourth WNBA All-Star Game as the Storm earned a 22-14 record before bowing out to the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces in the playoffs' semifinal round.
The signing of Stewart comes shortly after the Liberty made a blockbuster trade that brought over Connecticut Sun superstar Jonquel Jones. Shortly after introducing Jones at Barclays Center last week, New York management took in Stewart's ongoing international affairs in Turkey. That group included head coach Sandy Brondello, general manager Jonathan Kolb, assistant general manager Ohemaa Nyanin, and co-owner Clara Wu Tsai.
In addition to her basketball affairs, Stewart has been a vocal advocate in issues away from the floor as well. Having previously been crowned Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year for her work in the WNBA's Bradenton bubble in 2020, Stewart has now been a vocal advocate for securing charter flights for the Association's players, a cause shared by Liberty co-owner Joe Tsai.
Jones' own Twitter account went on an emoji spree after Stewart announced where she was going, offering her clear and obvious approval.
Jones and Stewart are set to join a New York core headlined by Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney. Last season saw the Liberty clinch the seventh seed on the eight-team WNBA playoff bracket, taking the defending champion Chicago Sky to the brink in a three-game set in the opening round. Ionescu enjoyed a breakout campaign in her second full season with the team, earning her first All-Star bid and All-WNBA Second Team honors in larger duties while Laney dealt with injuries for a majority of the year.
The 2023 New York Liberty season will tip off on May 19 when they take on the Washington Mystics in the nation's capital.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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