As expected, former WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart is staying in Seattle. The superstar forward finalized an agreement with the Storm on Wednesday. While the team did not disclose the terms of the deal, it is notably set to be just a one-year, supermax contract, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
Stewart, who was the No. 1 overall pick by the Storm in 2016, has spent her entire career with the franchise. In just five seasons of action -- she missed the entire 2019 season due to a torn Achilles tendon -- she's led the Storm to two titles, winning Finals MVP both times. In addition, she was Rookie of the Year in 2016, named MVP in 2018, has made three All-Star teams, four All-WNBA appearances and three All-Defensive teams.
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In short, even if she retired today she would still go down as one of the best players of all time, a fact that was cemented when she was named to the league's 25th anniversary team last year. She was the youngest player to earn that honor, and one of just 10 active players on the list.
"Stewie is the best player in the world and having her on our team means we will always be in the mix to compete for another championship," Noelle Quinn said. "She takes great pride in her preparation, elevates everyone's level of play and most importantly just wants to win."
The Storm faced a unique situation this year when all of their big three -- Stewart, Jewell Loyd and Sue Bird -- hit unrestricted free agency at the same time. Bird was never going anywhere, and recently announced she would be back for a 21st season. Loyd and Stewart weren't as certain, however, and the Storm could only use the core designation on one of them. They chose Loyd, which was risky given Stewart's status, but has paid off -- at least for now.
It's very interesting that Stewart has only re-signed on a one-year deal, and even more so when taken in conjunction with reports that she met with the New York Liberty earlier in free agency. There's no guarantee that she's leaving Seattle next year, especially since the Storm will be able to put the core designation on her, but it's a clear sign that she's keeping her options open.
There are still plenty of questions about the Storm's present and future, but with Stewart back they've cemented themselves as a title contender for 2022.
