In 2019, Breanna Stewart popped her achilles and missed the entire WNBA season. The Washington Mystics would go on to win the cup that season as the Seattle Storm fell in the conference semifinals to the Los Angeles Sparks. Head coach, Derek Fisher would immediately do everything in his power to make sure the Sparks stopped winning but that’s a conversation for another day.
Perhaps in her absence, we forgot just how unbelievable she is at the game of basketball. Stewart averaged 19.7 points a game in the Wubble with 8.3 rebounds as she carried the Storm to an 18-4 regular-season record.
The Storm pretty much walked through the postseason to meet the Las Vegas Aces—who also went 18-4 this season—in the Finals. Two gladiators entering the forum to do battl—oh wait nevermind, these games aren’t close because Breanna Stewart is the best in the world.
.@breannastewart was out all last season after tearing her Achilles.
Tonight she dropped:
37 PTS
15 REB
4 BLKSCERTIFIED BUCKET.
Storm take Game 1.
(via @seattlestorm)pic.twitter.com/LqWqEJ9f9s
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 3, 2020
37, 15 and 4 in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. Two points shy of setting a new playoff record. 15 rebounds against a gigantic Aces team that only allowed 25 defensive rebounds a night during the regular season. Stewart had 15 rebounds.
The Storm would win 93-80 against the Aces thanks to her heroics only 18 months after homegirl popped her Achilles play in Hungary because the WNBA didn’t pay her enough and she needed to moonlight overseas.
So when she dominates these finals, it’s important to remember that she’s not just showing that she’s better than the 2020 MVP, Aja Wilson. She’s not just showing the media that kept her off the All-WNBA team. She is showing the league itself that did not probably compensate her for her brilliance.
And in regards to that Aja Wilson matchup, barbecue chicken. She was 8-for-12 shooting when guarded Wilson. There is literally no location on the floor where she cannot score. Automatic bucket from anywhere at any time.
On Sunday, the Storm went up 2-0 on the Aces with Breanna Stewart scoring 22 points with 4 boards and 5 assists. She made 5 3’s in 8 attempts. She shouldn’t be allowed to be that good at scoring from both the perimeter as well as the paint. She should be illegal.
If I were Las Vegas, I’d just pack my bags and sneak off to the airport because there is a 0% chance that Breanna Stewart is going to allow them to win the next 3 games of this series. It’s over. Congratulations to the 2020 WNBA Champions.