BREANNA STEWART

Top free agent Breanna Stewart's proposition to subsidize charter flights for WNBA players was met with support from all over the league and beyond. Today'sNBA players never had to deal with the effects of commercial travel on their bodies," Abdul-Jabbar wrote. Today’s @NBA players never had to deal with the effects of commercial travel on their bodies. I’m all for @WNBA players getting equal rights. In a way, Abul-Jabbar’s co-sign is unique because it comes from someone who experienced the NBA’s commercial travel era.

The 2023 WNBA free agency period has had a circle around it since the new collective bargaining agreement was signed three years ago that included a controversial prioritization clause. Her emoji-filled tweets were a fun free agency Pictionary leading into an actual word tweet and reporting around it that adds another dimension to a crucial moment for the WNBA — and makes Stewart's free agency one of the most pivotal moments in WNBA history for more reasons than where she will sign. The two-time Seattle Storm champion has made charter air travel a key factor in her free agency, ESPN reported that night. Recap: Prioritization will determine who plays in WNBAThe first domino will be if Stewart decides to play in the WNBA at all. It was rare for WNBA free agency to hold any spark since previous CBAs weren’t friendly to player movement.

But before she chooses her next team, Stewart wants to help the whole league. She tweeted Sunday afternoon that she wants to help "subsidize charter travel for the entire WNBA" by contributing profits from her name, image and likeness deals. I would love to be part of a deal that helps subsidize charter travel for the entire WNBA. Though the WNBA did charter flights for the finals, the Liberty were fined $500,000 last season when owner Joe Tsai reportedly paid to charter a private plane for his team. Players have publically pushed for charter flights, too, after several teams endured uncomfortable travel conditions that left them either stranded or exhausted for games.

Two-time WNBA champion Breanna Stewart will meet with the Seattle Storm, Minnesota Lynx, Washington Mystics and New York Liberty when free agency opens on Saturday at midnight, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported on Friday. The meetings will reportedly take place in Istanbul, Turkey where Stewart is currently playing on the EuroLeague's Fenerbahçe team. Breanna Stewart will meet with the Seattle Storm, Minnesota Lynx, Washington Mystics and New York Liberty when free agency opens at midnight ET, sources told ESPN. The meetings will take place in Istanbul, where Stewart is currently playing. https://t.co/aj5w9JgMa8 — Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 20, 2023Stewart, 28, is the top name in WNBA free-agency this year.

The other name that might prompt the largest cannonball is Breanna Stewart, who is a free agent again after signing a one-year deal. The moves most impact the Liberty, where Stewart met with front-office personnel as a free agent last season. Taurasi, 41, said in November she intends to return for a 19th WNBA season. Vandersloot, 33, reportedly took meetings with the Sky, Storm and Lynx as a free agent last year. Tina Charles, 34, is a free agent again and still seeking that elusive championship ring.

Each team's salary sheet is broken down by starters under contract, bench players under contract, unrestricted free agents, restricted/reserved players and 2023 draft picks. Unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents and reserve players are all listed with approximate 2022 salaries as a starting point to estimate their 2023 salary. Reserved: AD ($68K), Beatrice Mompremier ($60K)2023 draft picks: Second-best odds at No. The WNBA said Griner was paid her full 2022 salary and it did not count against the Mercury’s salary cap. Minnesota will look to fill the production left by Sylvia Fowles, which could mean Aliyah Boston if they end up with the top draft pick or Virginia Tech's Elizabeth Kitley.

Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said ahead of the WNBA Finals the prioritization clause was bargained by team owners in return for higher compensation levels. Breanna Stewart, a two-time WNBA champion with the Storm, is the most lauded free agent of 2023, at least of those who might leave their franchise. It was a brutal September for the sports world as four-time WNBA champion Sue Bird, two-time WNBA champion Sylvia Fowles and 23-time tennis Grand Slam champion Serena Williams all played their (presumably) final games. Candace Parker, a two-time WNBA champion, has said she'll wait to see how she feels before making a decision on retirement. Diana Taurasi, a three-time WNBA champion, is a free agent and said in July seeing how "happy [Bird] is going through her retirement years made me really think about that long winter."

SYDNEY — (AP) — A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart are keenly aware of the legacy of success they are part of with the U.S. women's basketball team. The game was a sellout with nearly 16,000 fans — the biggest crowd to attend a women’s World Cup game since the inaugural tournament in 1953 in Chile. “You can't say people don't support women's basketball,” Stewart said of the crowd. You gain a lot of knowledge in the World Cup,” Reeve said. ___More AP women’s basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Brittney Griner anchored a dominant frontcourt that made the U.S. women’s basketball team the favorites in any international tournament.

The U.S. women's basketball team picked up their 27th straight victory at the FIBA Women's World Cup on Tuesday. The team hasn't lost since 2006.

Kelsey Plum scored 20 points, Chelsea Gray added 16 and the United States women routed Bosnia and Herzegovina 121-59 to break the team record for consecutive wins at the World Cup.

WNBA stars have for years spent their offseasons playing in Russian pro leagues, lured by seven-figure paydays that trump their salaries back home. With Brittney Griner detained in a Russian prison and the war in Ukraine still raging, WNBA players are sitting this season out. Breanna Stewart, a four-time WNBA All-Star and a former teammate of Griner's on Russia's UMMC Ekaterinburg, explained her decision to the Associated Press. It's easy to understand why WNBA stars made the offseason trek to Russia on a yearly basis. Commissioner Cathy Englebert addressed the issue ahead of the recently concluded WNBA Finals while calling Griner's ongoing detainment "unacceptable."

WNBA players often compete in Russia because of the high salaries, but they are skipping out due to Brittney Griner's imprisonment.

SYDNEY — (AP) — Brittney Griner's highly publicized legal woes in Russia and the country's invasion of Ukraine has the top WNBA players opting to take their talents elsewhere this offseason. For the past few decades, Russia has been the preferred offseason destination for WNBA players to compete because of the high salaries that can exceed $1 million and the resources and amenities teams offered them. Nearly a dozen WNBA players competed in Russia last winter and none of them are heading back this year. Like Stewart, Vandersloot also isn't headed back to Russia, choosing to play in Hungary where she obtained citizenship in 2016. The Griner situation also is weighing heavily on the minds of young WNBA players.

SYDNEY — (AP) — Brittney Griner's highly publicized legal woes in Russia and the country's invasion of Ukraine has the top WNBA players opting to take their talents elsewhere this offseason. For the past few decades, Russia has been the preferred offseason destination for WNBA players to compete because of the high salaries that can exceed $1 million and the resources and amenities teams offered them. Nearly a dozen WNBA players competed in Russia last winter and none of them are heading back this year. Like Stewart, Vandersloot also isn't headed back to Russia, choosing to play in Hungary where she obtained citizenship in 2016. The Griner situation also is weighing heavily on the minds of young WNBA players.

Top WNBA players are finding other places to compete this winter, not wanting to go back to Russia after the arrest and conviction of Brittney Griner on drug possession charges and the country's invasion of Ukraine.

Brittney Griner's highly publicized legal woes in Russia and the country's invasion of Ukraine has the top WNBA players opting to take their talents elsewhere this offseason. For the past few decades, Russia has been the preferred offseason destination for WNBA players to compete because of the high salaries that can exceed $1 million – nearly quadruple the base salary of top WNBA players -- and the resources and amenities teams offered them. “Honestly my time in Russia has been wonderful, but especially with BG still wrongfully detained there, nobody’s going to go there until she’s home,” said Breanna Stewart, a Griner teammate on the Russian team that paid the duo millions.

Alyssa Thomas had the first triple-double in WNBA Finals history to help the Connecticut Sun stave off elimination by beating the Las Vegas Aces 105-76 in Game 3.

It is her fifth All-WNBA selection and the third consecutive year she's been on the first team. Plum finished third in MVP award voting after averaging 20.2 points per game (second behind Stewart) and 5.1 assists per game (ninth). Jonquel Jones, the 2021 MVP, is also on the second team after leading the team in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. Ionescu earned her first All-WNBA selection after a comeback season following two years of ankle issues. It's her eighth All-WNBA selection of her 15-season career.

A'ja Wilson earned WNBA MVP honors for the second time in her young career Wednesday. The 26-year-old Las Vegas Aces forward received 31 of 56 first-place votes from a media panel. The award was announced one day after Wilson helped the Aces reach the WNBA Finals by knocking out Stewart and the Storm. Wilson's Las Vegas teammate Kelsey Plum finished third and Connecticut's Alyssa Thomas and Chicago's Candace Parker — a two-time MVP — rounded out the top five in the voting. 1 pick in the 2018 draft — the franchise's first year in Las Vegas.

A’ja Wilson has earned WNBA MVP honors for the second time in her young career.

Sue Bird’s career came to an end as Chelsea Gray scored 15 of her 31 points in the fourth quarter, and the Las Vegas Aces advanced to the WNBA Finals with a 97-92 win over the Seattle Storm in Game 4 of their semifinal series.

Jackie Young sent the game in overtime with a buzzer-beating basket and then Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum hit big shots in the extra session to help the Las Vegas Aces beat the Seattle Storm 110-98 to move within a victory of advancing to the WNBA Finals.

Jewell Loyd scored 26 points, including Seattle’s final six, and the Storm edged the Las Vegas Aces 76-73 to take a 1-0 lead in the WNBA semifinals.

Sue Bird's eye for the court and knowledge of the game separates her among WNBA point guards.

SEATTLE — (AP) — Breanna Stewart had 21 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, Sue Bird added season highs of 18 points and 10 assists, and the Seattle Storm beat the Washington Mystics 97-84 on Sunday to sweep their opening-round series. Jewell Loyd was 5 of 10 from 3-point range and finished with 19 points for the Storm. Natasha Cloud made 5 of 8 from 3-point range and finished with 21 points for Washington. Atkins added 15 points and seven assists, Elena Delle Donne and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough scored 12 points apiece, and Alysha Clark 10. The Storm made 35 of 63 (55.6%) from the field, shot 52.2% (12 of 23) from 3-point range.

Breanna Stewart had 21 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, Sue Bird added season highs of 18 points and 10 assists, and the Seattle Storm beat the Washington Mystics 97-84 to sweep their opening-round series.

USA Basketball FILE - USA National Basketball Team's Breanna Stewart during a spring training practice session, Friday, April 1, 2022, in Minneapolis. Diana Taurasi was not on the training camp roster, but told The Associated Press before she injured her quad that she was a “maybe” to compete in Sydney. South Carolina's Aliyah Boston was the lone college player among the 29 invited to the USA Basketball training camp that will begin next month in Las Vegas. The Americans will then travel to Australia to train before the World Cup begins. “I am looking forward to welcoming this amazing group of athletes to a productive training camp as we prepare for the 2022 FIBA World Cup,” coach Cheryl Reeve said.

The U.S. women’s basketball team will have a lot of new faces when the Americans play in the FIBA World Cup next month in Australia.

The Seattle Storm forward led the WNBA in scoring for the first time in her career, averaging 21.8 points, and Tuesday she became the first player to repeat as The Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year. Stewart received six votes for AP Player of the Year by the 10-member media panel narrowly edging A'ja Wilson, who received the other four votes. Stewart is the first two-time winner of the award since the AP voting began in 2016. “It's an honor to be recognized as the best in the league,” said Stewart, who was also named player of the year in 2018. Tanisha Wright became the first former WNBA player to win the AP Coach of the Year award.

Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart is the first two-time winner of The Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year award.

Breanna Stewart is always looking for ways to improve her game and this season her efforts culminated in a couple more career milestones. The Seattle Storm forward led the WNBA in scoring for the first time in her career, averaging 21.8 points, and Tuesday she became the first player to repeat as The Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year. Stewart received six votes for AP Player of the Year by the 10-member media panel narrowly edging A'ja Wilson, who received the other four votes.

Washington may face the Seattle Storm, led by Breanna Stewart, in the opening round.

WASHINGTON — (AP) — Breanna Stewart made four free throws in the final 12 seconds and finished with 18 points, Tina Charles scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Seattle used a big second-half run to beat the Washington Mystics 82-77 Saturday and clinch a berth in the WNBA playoffs. Seattle (19-11), which had lost three of its previous four games, took sole possession of fourth in the league standings — a game ahead of the fifth-place Mystics and 1 1/2 games behind No. The Storm have won the first two games of their three-game regular season series with Washington, which wraps up when the teams meet again Sunday. Washington (18-12) had won three games in a row and five of its last 6. Delle Donne led the Mystics with 22 points and Atkins scored 13.

Las Vegas Aces v Seattle Storm SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 29: Tina Charles #31 of the Seattle Storm warms up before the game against the Las Vegas Aces at Climate Pledge Arena on June 29, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Storm center eclipsed 7,000 points in the first half of a 82-72 win over the Atlanta Dream on Sunday. Her dominating performance in her second start for the Storm came alongside one by frontcourt mate Breanna Stewart, a leading MVP candidate. Charles put up a double-double before halftime and finished with 27 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks, one assist and one steal. The game also broke Charles' tie with Leslie for most regular season games of at least 25 points and 15 rebounds.

The Las Vegas Aces have come out of the All-Star break on a roll, winning three road games and scoring more than 100 points in two of victories.

WNBA enters final month of the season with 11 of 12 teams in contention for playoff spots and five franchises within three games of each other atop the standings.

Breanna Stewart traded for her Seattle teammate Sue Bird in the WNBA All-Star draft Saturday. Bird was set to be a co-captain with A'ja Wilson before Stewart pulled off the deal to acquire Bird for Sylvia Fowles. Bird and Fowles are set to retire at the end of the season and were named co-captains with Stewart and Wilson. That was a good one.”Bird will be playing in her record 13th All-Star Game on July 10 in Chicago. Stewart drafted the third Las Vegas starter Jackie Young with her first pick and Jonquel Jones with her second choice.

Courtney Vandersloot, Kahleah Copper and Emma Meesseman will get a chance to play before their home fans as the trio was selected as reserves for the WNBA All-Star Game on July 10 in Chicago.

Kelsey Plum views her improved play this season to just having more time on the court.

Becky Hammon vowed before the season tipped off that the Las Vegas Aces would be shooting more 3-poitners this year.

(Grace Hollars/The Indianapolis Star via AP) (Grace Hollars)This definitely wasn't the start that the Minnesota Lynx envisioned to their season — the final of Sylvia Fowles' career. Plum is averaging 17.5 points and Hamby is putting up a double-double to start the season with 14.8 points and 11.8 rebounds. Indiana (2-3): It took the Fever 18 games last season to get their second win of the season. Fortunately for them, with only one game this week New York will have practice time to get better acclimated with each other. Minnesota (0-4): The Lynx can only go up from here after their dismissal start to the year.

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello was on her way to morning shootaround when she heard the news that Russia had extended Brittney Griner’s pre-trial detention another 30 days.

As WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner approaches the three-month mark of her detention in Russia, she has no clear prospect of release.

Congratulations, ladies! The issue comes out on May 19.

Sue Bird officially re-signed with the Seattle Storm, her only WNBA team, in what is expected to be her final season.

In previous years, the Connecticut Sun forward has been honored by the media that votes on the weekly AP WNBA power poll as the Sixth Woman of the Year and Most Improved Player. This year, the 6-foot-6 Jones is the unanimous choice AP Player of the Year honors by the 14-member panel, announced Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File) (Ashley Landis)Jonquel Jones is no stranger to winning Associated Press WNBA awards. In previous years, the Connecticut Sun forward has been honored by the media that votes on the weekly AP WNBA power poll as the Sixth Woman of the Year and Most Improved Player. This year, the 6-foot-6 Jones is the unanimous choice AP Player of the Year honors by the 14-member panel.

Jonquel Jones is no stranger to winning Associated Press WNBA awards.

The WNBA enters the final week of the regular season with many playoff positions still to be decided as well as the final postseason berth.

The WNBA playoff chase may come down to the final day of the regular season on Sept. 19.

The WNBA honored its past and present when it announced the league's top 25 players Sunday. The “W25” has 10 current players, including Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Sylvia Fowles, Candace Parker and Breanna Stewart. Former stars Lisa Leslie, Tamika Catchings, Katie Smith and Sheryl Swoopes are among 15 retired players selected by a panel of media members and women's basketball pioneers and advocates.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON — (AP) — President Joe Biden honored the 2020 WNBA champions Seattle Storm on Monday, celebrating their success on the court and hailing the four-time title holders for changing lives with their activism. The visit marked the first time that an NBA or WNBA team has visited the White House since the Cleveland Cavaliers were feted by Barack Obama in 2016. Presidents typically host college and major league sports champions for a White House ceremony. Loeffler, an ally of Trump, came under criticism from WNBA players for attacks on the Black Lives Matter movement. Trump lashed out at Stephen Curry and his Golden State Warrior teammates in 2017 after they declined the customary White House invitation.

President Joe Biden has honored the 2020 WNBA champions Seattle Storm at the White House.

Sun Storm Basketball Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart (30) passes the ball as Connecticut Sun guard Briann January (20) defends during the first half of the Commissioner's Cup WNBA basketball game, Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) (Matt York)PHOENIX — (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 15 of her 17 points in the first quarter and the Seattle Storm routed the Connecticut Sun 79-57 on Thursday night to win the inaugural WNBA Commissioner's Cup. Fellow U.S. Olympic gold medalists Jewell Loyd added 16 points and Sue Bird had 10 to help lead Seattle. Members of the Storm earned in excess of $30,000 per player, while those on Connecticut earned $10,000 per player. Loyd got going in the third quarter as the Storm turned the game into a rout.

Breanna Stewart scored 15 of her 17 points in the first quarter and the Seattle Storm routed the Connecticut Sun 79-57 to win the inaugural WNBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Becky Hammon can’t wait for the time when it’s normal for women to interview for head coaching positions in the NBA and their gender isn’t the story.

Brittney Griner had 15 points and 12 rebounds to help the U.S. beat Serbia 79-59 to advance to the gold medal game of the Olympics.

Tokyo Olympics Basketball United States' Breanna Stewart (10), right, celebrates with teammates after their win in the women's basketball preliminary round game against Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. Such is the typical itinerary for basketball players at the Tokyo Olympics. For those who were in the NBA and WNBA bubbles in Florida last summer, it seems familiar. There are clear similarities between what basketball players are having to endure at these Tokyo Olympics and what went on last summer for NBA players in Lake Buena Vista, Florida and WNBA players in Bradenton, Florida. Typically at an Olympics, the NBA stars pop into some of the other big events — like swimming, track and field, gymnastics — whenever possible.

Wake up.

(AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay)SAITAMA, Japan — (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 20 of her 23 points in the first half to help the U.S. beat Australia 79-55 on Wednesday in the quarterfinals. "Knockout rounds brings out a certain intensity about a team and that played a huge role in it,” Sue Bird said. The teams played in Las Vegas last month in an exhibition game and Australia pulled off the upset victory. Leilani Mitchell scored 14 points to lead Australia, which will host the World Championship next year in Sydney. CHEERING THEM ONThe Australia men's team will face the U.S. men in the semifinals on Thursday.

Breanna Stewart scored 20 of her 23 points in the first half to help the U.S. beat Australia 79-55 on Wednesday in the quarterfinals.

Durant is widely considered the best men’s player in the world; Stewart widely considered the best women’s player in the world, and neither of those designations are difficult to argue. Stewart and Durant both injured their right Achilles while playing for championships — Durant was in the NBA Finals, Stewart was playing for a title overseas — and both are surprised by how small their scars are now. Thompson tore his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals, then ruptured his Achilles while trying to get ready for the 2020-21 season. Whenever Thompson returns, the Achilles Comeback Club will grow and Durant said he can’t wait to see it happen. And he is clearly enjoying being part of the comeback club in Tokyo along with Stewart and Plum.

Kevin Durant and Breanna Stewart are the charter members of USA Basketball’s Achilles Comeback Club at the Tokyo Games.

The U.S. has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to talented post players, possibly the best ever assembled. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) (Charlie Neibergall)SAITAMA, Japan — (AP) — The U.S. has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to talented post players, possibly the best ever assembled. The quintet combined for 56 of the team's 81 points and 45 rebounds in the nine-point opening win over Nigeria. Griner and Fowles, who are probably the most traditional of the post players have also developed mid-range shots. Japan's coach Tom Hovasse said that he’s going to have one of his “taller” players guard Griner when the two teams play on Friday.

The U.S. has five of the best post players in the world.

Both the U.S. Olympic team and the WNBA All-Stars expect a competitive game in the league’s showcase.

(Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) (Chase Stevens)NEW YORK — (AP) — It may be a long time before anyone joins Diana Taurasi in the 9,000-point club. The next closest active player is former teammate Candice Dupree, who is more than 2,000 points behind Taurasi. Las Vegas (11-4): A huge overtime win over Seattle kept the Aces in the hunt to be the West representative in the Commissioner's Cup championship. PLAYER OF THE WEEK:Sylvia Fowles of Minnesota dominated play las week, averaging 28 points, 16.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocks to help Lynx win both their games. Chelsea Gray returns to Los Angeles for the first time after leaving the Sparks in the offseason as a free agent for Las Vegas.

The Chicago Sky are at full strength and moving up the WNBA standings after a slow start due to injuries.

After a sluggish start the Storm have found some answers and are becoming more cohesive on defense this season. The only time they gave up more than 75 points in that stretch was the 105-102 overtime win over Dallas. It is not going to be one or two players, it’s going to be a legit one through 12 coming in and making sure that we’re working together to stop a great player.”With it's 3-0 week, Seattle moved back into the top spot in the AP power poll. Seattle (10-2): The Storm cruised through an eastern swing, sweeping a pair of games from Atlanta and beating Connecticut. PLAYER OF THE WEEK:Breanna Stewart of Seattle had a strong week averaging 18.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists to help the Storm go 3-0.

The WNBA season is only a few weeks old and there already have been five games that have decided in overtime.

The WNBA season isn’t even two weeks old and the New York Liberty have already doubled their win total from last year and are off to their best start since 2007.

The WNBA will tip off its 25th season on Friday, May 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara)NEW YORK — (AP) — The WNBA is back and celebrating its silver anniversary. It was a busy offseason for the longest running women's professional sports league that will tip off its 25th season Friday night. After 14 years with the Lynx, she played her final season with the Los Angeles Sparks last year. VIEWING OPPORTUNITIESThe WNBA will have 100 of its games on national television this season, as well as dozens of games on Twitter, Facebook and Amazon.

The WNBA is back and celebrating its silver anniversary.

NEW YORK — (AP) — The Las Vegas Aces fell just short of the WNBA championship last season while missing three key players. Now with Liz Cambage, Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby back as well as free agent addition Chelsea Gray to help league MVP A'ja Wilson, the Aces sit atop the preseason Associated Press WNBA poll Wednesday. “We grew up last year, we added other pieces," Aces coach Bill Laimbeer said. Seattle, the defending WNBA champions, garnered the other four first-place ballots and was picked second. Seattle star Breanna Stewart was picked as the AP preseason player of the year for the second straight season.

The WNBA will tip off its 25th season on Friday after an offseason that was full of player movement, including Candace Parker returning home to Chicago.

Seattle Storm star Breanna Stewart proposed to her girlfriend, Phoenix Mercury guard Marta Xargay, on Sunday.

Breanna Stewart and the Seattle Storm never really got a chance to defend their 2018 championship because of key injuries. “I don’t know if any of us are thinking that way,” Stewart said after the Storm completed a three-game sweep of the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday night by setting a WNBA Finals record with a 33-point win. The 26-year-old won a second WNBA Finals MVP as a unanimous choice and was nearly unstoppable in the championship round. Bird, who turns 40 next week, has been a part of all four of the Storm championships during three decades. I just kind of start working out and see how I feel,” said Bird, who averaged 11 assists in the WNBA Finals.

Stewart scored 26 points and Seattle completed a sweep of the Las Vegas Aces with a 92-59 rout Tuesday night. It was the biggest margin of victory in WNBA Finals history. Seattle had pretty much the same core group that won the 2018 championship back for this year, led by Stewart, Bird and Jewell Loyd. Seattle has now won a record 11 games in a row in the WNBA Finals, dating to the team's first championship in 2004. She led the Dream to three WNBA Finals appearances but the team was swept in each one.

Las Vegas couldn't respond. A'ja Wilson had 20 points to lead Las Vegas while Angel McCoughtry and Emma Cannon added 17 each. The Aces led 65-64 with 3:22 left in the period before the Storm closed with a 11-3 burst. The Storm, who had 17 assists on their 18 baskets, built the lead to 13 before Las Vegas rallied to the six-point halftime deficit. ... Stewart had her fifth consecutive 20-point game in the WNBA Finals spanning back to the 2018 season.

“You impose on them it's a five-game series, even if you lose one game so what? “He trusts us and knows what we’re capable of.”The Aces feel that they have fixable problems. It was also the first finals for many of the Aces players, including Wilson and Jackie Young. Stewart had a career-high 37 points — one short of the WNBA Finals record. The biggest thing is to make them contested shots," Wilson said.

Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart (30) celebrates after the team defated the Las Vegas Aces during Game 1 of basketball's WNBA Finals Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, in Bradenton, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)BRADENTON, Fla. – The Seattle Storm's lead down to two with a quarter left, Breanna Stewart took over. The big-game player scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter and finished with 37 to help the Storm beat the Las Vegas Aces 93-80 on Friday night in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. She was a point short of the WNBA Finals record set by Angel McCoughtry. McCoughtry scored 20 points to lead Las Vegas, which was playing in the WNBA Finals for the first time since the franchise moved to the Nevada city three years ago. Eight players had reached 11 assists in a finals game before Bird's record performance.

“She knows who she is, she knows where she’s going,” said Las Vegas coach Bill Laimbeer. “I feel like I'm a more complete player now then when I first got into the league,” Wilson said in an online interview. The second team included Phoenix teammates Diana Taurasi and Skylar Diggins-Smith, Connecticut teammates DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas, and Minnesota's Napheesa Collier. POWER POLLThe Las Vegas Aces finished atop the AP Power Poll, a spot they held for three of the final four weeks of the season. A'ja Wilson also received votes after she led Las Vegas to the top seed in the postseason.

NEW YORK The Seattle Storm are healthy to begin the season with Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird back in the lineup and sit atop the preseason Associated Press WNBA poll. 1 in the preseason since the AP has been doing the poll. You have to go out there and play the games, said Bird, who missed last season while recovering from knee surgery. Connecticut and Washington, who met for the WNBA title last year, were sixth and seventh in the poll. The first regular season power poll will be released on Tuesday, July 28___Follow Doug on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dougfeinberg

Sue Bird has seen a lot in her storied playing career in the WNBA, overseas and the Olympics. While nothing the 39-year-old Seattle Storm guard experienced has prepared her for life in the WNBA bubble, she is making the best of the situation. The bubble is part summer camp, mixed in with the Olympic village, playing overseas and an AAU tournament with a little bit of college life thrown in, Bird said in a phone interview. Two weeks into the experiment, players and coaches have been adjusting to their temporary homes. The WNBA has gone far and beyond what I thought would happen.Even with the WNBA in the bubble, the virus is still on everyones mind.