The defending champions are out, and we now have our four finalists. Who would have thought a team that started the season 9-0, the best start in franchise history–would be toppled by a squad with just one returning starter from last year? Sounds wild, right? Emotions ran so high afterward that a reporter even asked Breanna Stewart if coach Sandy Brondello would be back. The same question hung over Stewart, too, though – with her contract now up. And for Liberty fans, that’s the bigger concern.

Heading into the 2025 season, the Liberty’s top priority was clear: get their MVP back. “Bringing Stewie back to the Liberty was our top priority this offseason,” Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb said. They delivered, securing a one-year deal worth $208,400, according to The Athletic. But now that the season is over, whispers about the future of their superstar are inevitable.

But Liberty fans, there’s reason to breathe easy. “I’m coming back,” Stewart said when asked about her future, according to the Underdog WNBA page on X.

It hasn’t been an easy season for Breanna Stewart. She entered the year coming off a minor arthroscopic surgery on her right meniscus and spent time in the Unrivaled league. With the WNBA schedule expanding, the consequences were felt as Stewie missed 13 games this season due to a bone bruise. But every time she stepped on the court, she reminded everyone why she’s one of the best.

Stewart averaged 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists this season, and the Liberty’s struggles in her absence speak volumes—losing 8 of the 13 games she missed with a bone bruise underlines just how vital she is. Unfortunately, in the overtime win against the Mercury, Stewie suffered an MCL sprain, which was a big blow for the Liberty.

But Stewie was determined to be on the court. “It doesn’t matter,” Stewart said about her injury. “I told everybody, ‘I don’t care. I don’t want to talk about how it’s feeling because I’m gonna play.’ That’s the focus—what we’re going to do on the court, not how I’m feeling.”

But Game 2 didn’t go as planned. Stewart played just 20 minutes and scored only 6 points as the Liberty dropped the game by 26. Yet in Game 3, the 2x WNBA MVP showed her true class, putting up 30 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks–all while battling an MCL sprain. She’s now tied for the most 30-point playoff games in WNBA history and became the fastest player ever to reach 1,000 playoff points.

And despite the loss, Stewart is not letting anyone point fingers at her group or the HC. “I mean, to anybody that kind of questions Sandy being here, this is a resilient group,” she said, “And she has our back and we have hers.” That tells you a lot about Stewie’s future at Liberty, so rest easy. “We’re not going to be a team that points fingers. There’s a lot of us that could have done better this season. But we’re still going to fight and show up for each other every single day“.

That’s true sportsmanship on display and it wasn’t limited to just her team.

Breanna Stewart praises AT

Alyssa Thomas made history by becoming the first player in WNBA postseason history to record a 20-point triple-double, finishing with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. Her performance propelled the Mercury to a 79-73 victory over the defending champions and into the semifinals. Thomas now owns five of the seven total triple-doubles in playoff history and will face the Lynx as she chases her first WNBA championship.

And one player who will be right there supporting her throughout the playoffs is Breanna Stewart herself. In the postgame conference, Stewart said, “AT is incredible. The way she’s perfected her game to be a nightmare all over the court—whether it’s rebounding, dishing, or attacking downhill—coming to Phoenix was probably one of the best decisions of her career, if you ask her. They’re using her perfectly. While this sucks, I’m excited to see what she continues to do for the rest of these playoffs, because guarding her was a nightmare for us, and it’ll be the same for everyone else, too.”

The entire Phoenix Arena was on its feet, chanting MVP after AT’s dominant performance tonight. And you can expect even more fireworks when two MVP contenders clash in the semifinals. Who do you think will come out on top in this battle of titans? Share your thoughts in the comments below!