Last Saturday, New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu rolled and injured her ankle on a fastbreak and suffered a Grade 3 sprain that will keep her out for at least one month. Last year’s MVP Elena Delle Donne decided to sit-out this year because of a pre-existing health condition. Losing two well known stars for the year would hurt any league, but especially the WNBA that has been heavily marketing those two stars.
Luckily for the league, they still have Breanna Stewart back, a former MVP that has returned from an ruptured Achilles tendon that kept her out last year.
Stewart’s 7-foot-1 wingspan long arms makes her a uniquely tough to guard. She can easily shoot over most defenders similar to a Durant or Nowitzki. She can pull up from anyway and shoot
Despite being out for a year and then have her training interrupted because of the pandemic, her shooting has been good. Through 4 games, the Syracuse-native has shot 38% from three and 47% from field. She has averaged 18.8 points per game. The Storm have done a good job finding her mismatches. She has a nice touch around the rim.
Stewart is also a force on defense. Averaging two steals a game, Stewart is a major reason why the Storm lead the league in defensive rating. She can deflect passes, will clog the lane with her size and protect the rim.
It is difficult to get a good shot against her. She averages 1.7 blocks in her career. Here is a play that demonstrates her interior defense, and vision down the court.
Stewart can do it all. She can bring the ball up, find the right pass and shoot the three like a guard. She can also grab rebounds, block shots. If you are looking for a player to follow, she would be a good choice. Her combination with Sue Bird, who is currently out left knee bruise, is a fun duo to watch. Birds’ athleticism may not be the same, but her passing IQ and shooting makes her a great partner for Stewart. When the defense collapse on Stewart high post, Bird is there to spot up for three.
Seattle is 4-1 and among the favorites to win the title. If Stewart continues to play at this level, and Sue Bird remains healthy, they should be the team to beat in the playoffs. If you are looking for a new player to follow, Stewart would be a good choice.
The Efficient Shot 