This may exactly be the nightmare scenario playing out right now as it relates to the fears many have about WNBA players heading overseas to play.
With the 2019 WNBA season only about over a month away, no team or player can afford any injuries. The league especially could not afford an injury to the woman who is arguably setting herself up to be the face of the league for the next several number of years.
But that is what happened to Breanna Stewart. While in a Euroleague game overseas prior to its playoffs, she landed uncomfortably on the floor and was seen in severe pain.
The speculation as to how severe her injury is has ranged ever since the injury took place, but much of the speculation is zeroing in on the possibility she may have torn her Achilles and that she will be sidelined for the entire 2019 season.
This has the potential to be one that not only the Seattle Storm could ill afford, but the WNBA as a whole could ill afford. It already looked like the league would be sans two marquee players with Maya Moore taking a year off and Liz Cambage still not traded to a new team.
Literally, and figuratively, this one hurts. Stewart is coming off an incredible 2018 – arguably the best year of her career. Last year, she not only was named WNBA MVP as well as MVP of her first-ever Finals in which the Storm swept the Washington Mystics, but she also was named Most Valuable Player of the FIBA World Cup as well, where Team USA claimed the gold medal after defeating Cambage and Australia.
This may exactly be the nightmare scenario playing out right now as it relates to the fears many have about WNBA players heading overseas to play.
With the 2019 WNBA season only about over a month away, no team or player can afford any injuries. The league especially could not afford an injury to the woman who is arguably setting herself up to be the face of the league for the next several number of years.
But that is what happened to Breanna Stewart. While in a Euroleague game overseas prior to its playoffs, she landed uncomfortably on the floor and was seen in severe pain.
The speculation as to how severe her injury is has ranged ever since the injury took place, but much of the speculation is zeroing in on the possibility she may have torn her Achilles and that she will be sidelined for the entire 2019 season.
This has the potential to be one that not only the Seattle Storm could ill afford, but the WNBA as a whole could ill afford. It already looked like the league would be sans two marquee players with Maya Moore taking a year off and Liz Cambage still not traded to a new team.
Literally, and figuratively, this one hurts. Stewart is coming off an incredible 2018 – arguably the best year of her career. Last year, she not only was named WNBA MVP as well as MVP of her first-ever Finals in which the Storm swept the Washington Mystics, but she also was named Most Valuable Player of the FIBA World Cup as well, where Team USA claimed the gold medal after defeating Cambage and Australia.
Injuries happen in sports, but Breanna Stewart’s happening one month before the WNBA season starts because she’s playing overseas for a team that definitely pays her more is a bitter pill to swallow. She — along with a handful of young stars — are the future of the W. Pay them.
— Katie Barnes (@katie_barnes3) April 16, 2019
Breanna Stewart was paid around $56,000 in base salary in her MVP season last year, per @HighPostHoops
She, like most other players around the league, went overseas in the “offseason” to make the bulk of her salary. In her final game, she tore her achilles. This sucks.
— Matt Ellentuck (@mellentuck) April 16, 2019
Sucks big time!!! 🙏🏾 to @breannastewart on a speedy successful recovery/return‼️‼️‼️ https://t.co/C1bElVKgoE
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 16, 2019
Just brutal news about reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart, who tore her Achilles in an overseas title game. Looking forward to the day when the ladies make enough here to where they don’t have to go abroad and play year-round anymore.
— Chris Herring (@Herring_NBA) April 16, 2019
Prayers up for @breannastewart.
Here’s @S10Bird on what Stewie means to the @WNBA champions @seattlestorm: https://t.co/ctOKvnVU6F pic.twitter.com/18K4cw9GI6
— The Players’ Tribune (@PlayersTribune) April 16, 2019
@breannastewart keep your head up, this ain’t nothing you can’t come back from. Stronger, Better and Determined🙏🏾
— John Wall (@JohnWall) April 15, 2019
The official news that @breannastewart has a torn achilles should be a leading sports story right now. She’s the reigning MVP of the WNBA and will most likely miss the entire 2019 season. Imagine if this wereJames Harden? Sad that a bball player of this caliber is an afterthought
— Lyndsey D’Arcangelo (@darcangel21) April 16, 2019
Prayers up for Stewie 🙏🏾😔
— Lo Ira 🇭🇹 (@LoIra_BTW) April 14, 2019
