The New York Liberty make another big move as they officially re-sign Breanna Stewart.
On February 1, 2023, everything changed for the New York Liberty. It was the day they signed Breanna Stewart and stepped into an exciting new future. Two years and one WNBA championship later, Stewart and the Liberty will run it back.
On Saturday, the Liberty announced that they have re-signed the future Hall of Famer in a tweet…
“Bringing Stewie back to the Liberty was our top priority this offseason,” Liberty General Manager Jonathan Kolb said in a statement. “Her impact on and off the court is immeasurable—she’s not only one of the best and most accomplished players in the world, but a leader whose relentless drive is foundational to the standard we continue to build upon in New York.”
The (North Syracuse) New York native is one of basketball’s greatest players and when the game gets tough, you can count on her to make something special happen. Whether it’s through tremendous and timely off ball movement
Or just putting her head down to get a gotta have it bucket
She can do anything imaginable on a basketball court. The competition in the W is only getting tougher, and team ownership and management believe having “Stewie” will help keep the Liberty in championship contention.
Stewart has been incredibly involved off the court as well. Stewie has been a big part of New York’s community work and played a big part in the design of the Liberty’s upcoming practice facility. As one of the leaders of the franchise, she has taken on the responsibility of representing the team everywhere she goes and putting her best foot forward. Liberty fans have a deep love and appreciation for the team, and Stewart’s community work helps nurture it for fans of all ages and backgrounds.
Madeline Kenney of the New York Post shared the contract details on BlueSky
It’s official. The Liberty just announced they re-signed Breanna Stewart.
I’m told it’s a one-year guaranteed deal at $208,400.
— Madeline Kenney (@madkenney.bsky.social) 2025-03-29T15:02:28.101Z
If you’re concerned about Stewie signing a one year contract, don’t be! During the WNBA Finals, Stewart explained why she doesn’t mind burning through her core designations and signing one year contracts:
“Just so I can continue to have that kind of flexibility going forward. It’s kind of hard to tell, because you don’t know obviously if we opt in or opt out, but with the potential from the new TV deal — how does everything play into effect.”
We’re a few months away from CBA negotiations between the WNBPA and the league owners. As one of the vice presidents of the Union, Stewart will play a big role in how things go. She and Napheesa Collier debuted their new 3×3 league Unrivaled this winter, and it was a big success. That should influence negotiations and give the players even more leverage.
Stewart’s return caps off what’s been an intriguing offseason for the champs. Although they lost Kayla Thornton to the expansion draft and Courtney Vandersloot to the Chicago Sky in free agency, they made up for it by trading for Natasha Cloud and re-signing Marine Johannès. With Stewart officially back in the fold, the Liberty figure to have one of the best defenses in the WNBA. Stewie is perhaps the best help defender in league history,. Having another All-Defense team member like Cloud alongside her … as well as:
- Betnijah Laney-Hamilton
- Jonquel Jones
- Leonie Fiebich
- Kennedy Burke
- Rebekah Gardner
… should allow Stewie to roam a bit more and disrupt opposing offenses
Of course, she’s an excellent on ball defender and is aware of everyone on the court even when it looks like she might be at a disadvantage
The Liberty have the perfect blend of length, size, and athleticism up and down the roster. It will be fascinating to see the lineups Sandy Brondello and the coaching staff cook up throughout the season.
Stewart is currently recovering from minor knee surgery, but will be good to go by training camp. She made an appearance Wednesday night at the Nets’ “Women’s Impact” game.
Since 2019, the New York Liberty have been pressing all the right buttons. They’ve made big investments on the roster, within the organization, and in the community. The results have been overwhelmingly positive and New York now stands as one of the best franchises in basketball. Breanna Stewart has been a big part of that success and now that she will be returning for her third season in Brooklyn, has a chance to cement their status as one of the great WNBA teams of all time.
Saturday’s announcement is the second big news break for the Liberty in three days. On Thursday, the team revealed plans for a new 75,000 square foot, $80 million training facility in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.