New York had dropped six of their last nine not too long ago, but they bounced back hard, winning five straight and looking more and more like the squad we saw dominate when the season began. A big part of that turnaround was finally getting healthy – Jonquel Jones was back, and they were only missing Nyara Sabally. But right when it felt like everything was clicking, there came another big blow. 

It all happened midway through the first quarter. Breanna Stewart had only been on the floor for about three minutes when she suddenly pulled up on defense. No contact, no collision – just an awkward stop and a clear grimace. The Liberty quickly called a timeout, and she walked straight up the tunnel with trainer Terri Acosta. 

A few moments earlier, she had come up a bit slow after Kelsey Plum hit a three from the corner. It looked like she was trying to shake something off, but whatever it was didn’t go away. Kennedy Burke subbed in for her after the timeout. A few minutes later, announcers confirmed Stewie is officially ruled out for the game with a reported lower leg injury. Right now, everyone’s just hoping it turns out to be nothing serious.

Because we all know what Stewart means to this Liberty squad. In just three minutes on Saturday, she already had three points and a rebound before walking off. She came into the game averaging 19 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks over 23 games this season. Now, while she hasn’t quite been shooting at her usual clip, Stewie has been doing serious damage on the glass and as a facilitator.

And most importantly, Stewie hasn’t missed a single game this year and has only sat out twice since arriving in Brooklyn in 2023. But it’s worth noting that she had knee surgery back in March after the Unrivaled season and has adjusted her shot profile significantly this year, cutting out threes and taking most of her attempts from within 10 feet. If she ends up missing time, New York will likely lean on Nyara Sabally, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, and Stephanie Talbot to step up. At least for now. Because soon, the Liberty is about to welcome a big overseas addition to the roster.

Breanna Stewart’s scare comes amid a key arrival 

The Libs are adding Emma Meesseman, one of the best offensive minds the league has ever seen. The 2019 WNBA Finals MVP and 2024 EuroLeague MVP is set to join the team in August (most likely). And that will be a game-changer. “Listen, we wanted to make this team better than it was last year,” Stewart said. “And I feel like now we have the pieces. We just have to put it together.”

With Meesseman in the mix, New York is stacking Finals MVPs like trading cards – Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and now Emma. Add Sabrina Ionescu to that lineup, and let’s just say there won’t be a lot of easy matchups for the opposing sides. The Belgian star doesn’t just bring scoring. She brings versatility- slotting in at the 3, 4, or 5 and giving Sandy Brondello endless lineup options.

“We’re checking a lot of boxes,” Stewart added. “If it looks good on paper, that’s one thing. But now we have to make it work on the court and that’s a challenge we’re all looking forward to.” Still, there’s hope that Stewart’s leg issue isn’t long-term, and if that holds true, the prospect of watching her share the floor with Emma is nothing short of a dream.