Established in 1997 as one of the league’s original eight teams, the Liberty reached the WNBA Finals four times between 1997 and 2002. But that championship banner just never made it to the rafters. What followed were years of rebuilding, heartbreak, and hope. And then came a name that changed the entire vibe in New York – Breanna Stewart. That was the moment. The one where everyone went, “Yes, this is it.” Fast forward to now, we’ve got the receipts.
After snagging their first-ever WNBA title last year, the defending champs weren’t just rolling into this season, they were marching in with the best odds to run it back. Five games in, and we’d bet on them again. After stomping the Aces, handling the Sky, and grinding out a tough win over the Fever, the Liberty took on the league’s shiny new expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries, not once but twice.
Well, they bagged both those matchups and are now one of just two undefeated squads left standing. That said, while their 95-67 win in Game 1 was a walk in the park, Game 2 had trap game written all over it. No Jonquel Jones (hamstring), no Nyara Sabally (knee soreness, third game out), and a hungry Valkyries team ready to steal one at Barclays.
But then Sabrina Ionescu walked in like she owned the place. Five threes in the first half alone – tying her career high – with a couple of them so disrespectful they had the crowd losing it. That early surge kept the game locked at halftime. Problem was, without Jones, the Liberty didn’t have much happening in the paint and weren’t quite bullying GSV like they did in round one.
Sandy Brondello on Breanna Stewart drawing 16 fouls: “She didn’t wanna lose. That was a big thing.” (Q: @LucasKaplan_)
— Myles (@MylesEhrlich) May 30, 2025
And then Stewie did what Stewie does. Even her “modest” stat line of 27 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks (15 of 19 free throws) doesn’t even begin to capture how massive her impact was. Also, she drew sixteen fouls. Sixteen!! When questioned on that, Ionescu jokingly muttered, “SGA.” But Sandy Brondello answered, “She didn’t wanna lose. That was a big thing.”
However, she was quick to address the big issue. Before the game, Brondello had already called out Liberty’s biggest issue this season – rebounding. Whether it’s early-game boredom from double-digit leads or just small sample size randomness, they’ve been slacking on the boards. And in Game 5, well… still an issue. Sure, they cleaned things up a bit after halftime. They stopped turning the ball over and started grabbing a few more boards, but their 18 points in the paint was season-low.
Brondello highlighted the same postgame and made it clear that they need to work on that. She didn’t sugarcoat anything. “It wasn’t a very good game all around, but credit to Golden State,” she said. Then came the locker room message, “We’ve got to be tougher than that.” And while she called out the flaws, she also made sure to give Stewie her flowers. “Most important thing is we won the game, found a way, and Stewie was amazing… 19 free throws… her pursuit of the ball was huge for us.”
She wasn’t exaggerating. At one point, Stewie made three straight trips to the free-throw line, all off fouls drawn just by hustling for rebounds. The Liberty haven’t really been cleaning up their own misses this season but with Stewie’s motor, that narrative might be changing soon. When the final buzzer sounded, the Liberty had pulled out an 82–77 win. Sabrina chipped in 24 points and six threes. The lead swung back and forth all night tied at halftime, up by just two entering the fourth, and never able to fully shake off the Valkyries.
Still, they’re 5-0. Still undefeated. And while the title odds are holding steady, the MVP race might’ve shaken things up.
Clark’s injury changes MVP odds, where does Breanna Stewart stand now?
Things just got really interesting in the WNBA MVP race. Caitlin Clark, the face of a rapidly growing league and the odds-on favorite to win MVP this season, has hit her first big hurdle. The Indiana Fever guard is set to miss at least two weeks – and four games – due to a left quadriceps strain.
And just like that, the MVP leaderboard has been shaken up. Before the injury news broke, Clark was dominating the odds. She opened the regular season as the favorite at +195, and even moved to -115 before Monday’s announcement. But with her sidelined, sportsbooks have quickly adjusted.
Clark now sits at +250, with Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier leaping ahead as the new frontrunner at -175. The numbers don’t lie. Collier’s been balling, averaging 29.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, she’s led the Lynx to a spotless unbeaten record and sits comfortably at the top of the standings.
But where does that leave Breanna Stewart?
Chicago, USA, June 4, 2024: Breanna Stewart 30 New York Liberty leaves the court after the Commissioners Cup game between the Chicago Sky and New York Liberty on Sunday June 4, 2024 at Wintrust Arena, Chicago, USA. NO COMMERCIAL USAGE Shaina Benhiyoun/SPP PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxBRAxMEX Copyright: xShainaxBenhiyoun/SPPx spp-en-ShBe-8P6A2923
Just last season, Stewie was the MVP runner-up, and while her 2025 odds were a bit of a long shot early on – +1200 behind Clark, Wilson, and Collier – they’ve now slightly climbed to +6600. That’s still a steep climb, but don’t count her out. Stewart just dropped a 27-point, 7-rebound masterclass and has quietly kept the New York Liberty undefeated at 5-0. And if Stewart keeps stacking wins, don’t be shocked if her name starts climbing fast.
The door’s cracked open. All eyes on who’s stepping through.
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