The New York Liberty got here into the 2025 WNBA season with a ton of expectations on their shoulders. Because the reigning champs, who in a variety of methods upgraded their roster within the offseason, they had been anticipated to dominate the league. For components of the season they did precisely that, spending a variety of the early 2025 marketing campaign within the high two of the WNBA standings, profitable each occasion at WNBA All-Star Weekend, and sustaining a profitable file.
However July and August have proved troublesome for the Liberty, and now they see themselves decrease within the WNBA standings than they’ve been in years.
The most important issue, similar to each crew within the league, has been accidents. This season’s condensed schedule has been a degree of contempt with gamers, and the accidents are proving it. Per The IX Basketball’s damage tracker, there have been 214 accidents within the WNBA this season, and there are nonetheless a number of weeks to go earlier than the common season ends. In response to the identical tracker, there have been a complete of 203 accidents within the 2024 season, indicating an apparent enhance in accidents from one season to the following.
The most important blow to New York’s season has been the damage to Breanna Stewart, who suffered a bone bruise in her knee on the finish of July. She was out from July 26 till Aug. 25, and New York went 5-9 in video games throughout that stretch, dropping from 2nd place within the league to fifth in a particularly tight race for playoff positioning. They’re 7.5 video games behind the Minnesota Lynx in 1st place, 1.5 video games behind Atlanta in 2nd place and Las Vegas in third, and technically tied with Phoenix in 4th. These standings will very doubtless change as we get right down to the ultimate days of the common season, but it surely’s nonetheless not a really perfect place for the reigning champions to be.
On Aug. 25, Breanna Stewart introduced at shootaround that she can be enjoying in Monday evening’s Liberty recreation in opposition to the Connecticut Solar, assembly her aim from weeks in the past to be again on the court docket by her birthday on Aug. 27. Whereas her crew has a lighter load this week, enjoying the already eradicated Connecticut Solar and soon-to-be-eliminated Washington Mystics, easing Stewart in with a minutes restriction to organize for an important recreation in opposition to Phoenix later within the week was splendid. Particularly given different Liberty gamers like Sabrina Ionescu (foot), Natasha Cloud (nostril), Isabelle Harrison (concussion), and Nyara Sabally (knee) have all been on the damage report this week. Getting their chief in Stewart, again on the essential time within the season will assist increase them in these final weeks earlier than the playoffs.
That’s precisely what occurred in Stewart’s return, as she went into Monday’s recreation with a 20-minute enjoying time restriction. That meant the Liberty nonetheless needed to battle for the win, beating the Solar by simply 2 factors ultimately, however Stewart made a big impact. She scored 19 factors and grabbed 5 rebounds to go together with 1 block, additionally making an influence by attending to the free throw line whereas she tried to get right into a taking pictures rhythm. Whereas she solely shot 33% from the sector, she tried 13 free throws, making 11, which is essential in an in depth one-possession recreation.
Stewart’s absence was clearly felt on the court docket throughout her month away. Apart from the plain proven fact that she is the veteran vocal chief for her teammates, she additionally offers a ton of output within the recreation from a number of fronts. At 6’4, her protection on the rim is rock stable, however she will be able to additionally defend the perimeter. And as versatile as Stewart is on protection, she is extra so on offense. A superb screener and curler to the basket, a terrific finisher, can draw fouls simply and make her free throws, and apart from somewhat little bit of wrestle from distance this season, can shoot the ball from mainly anyplace on the court docket. Her skill to quietly take over or save a recreation makes her elite, and her resume of accolades speaks for itself. Three WNBA Championships, two MVPs, 4 NCAA event titles, and 7 All-Star appearances simply scratch the floor of what Stewart has achieved.
Hopefully, re-integrating her into the lineup brings again some vitality for this Liberty crew, who’re nonetheless favorites to return to the WNBA Finals regardless of this current dip in efficiency.
