Seattle’s Breanna Stewart races ahead of Brittney Griner of Phoenix in the first half of a WNBA playoff last August in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Seattle’s Breanna Stewart races ahead of Brittney Griner of Phoenix in the first half of a WNBA playoff last August in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

You will be missed, Breanna

An injury will keep the WNBA’s reigning MVP from playing in Everett this summer

I was driving to work last Monday when I heard a piece of news that, from a professional standpoint, may be the most disappointing I’ll hear all year.

The best women’s basketball player in the world won’t be gracing the court in Everett this summer after all, and that’s a dang shame.

We’re a month away from the WNBA’s Seattle Storm opening its 2019 season at Everett’s Angel of the Winds Arena, complete with the pomp and circumstance of a championship banner-raising ceremony. But unfortunately, it all will be happening without the Storm’s star player, Breanna Stewart.

Stewart was in the midst of perhaps the greatest individual 12-month stretch in women’s basketball history. She was named the 2018 WNBA MVP as she led Seattle to the league’s best record. She was named the Finals MVP as the Storm claimed the league title last September. She was the MVP of the FIBA World Cup in December as the USA took the gold medal. She was just named the EuroLeague MVP playing for Dynamo Kursk in Russia. And if there were awards for congeniality or best dressed, she probably would have won those, too. She cleaned up everything.

But the do-it-all 6-foot-4 forward suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon last Sunday while playing for Dynamo Kursk in a EuroLeague championship Final Four game in Sopron, Hungary. The injury, which will sideline her for 6-12 months, has wiped out her 2019 WNBA season before preparations even began.

“First off, I just want to say thank you for the tremendous amount of love and support I’ve received over the past few days,” Stewart said on Instagram. “The situation is still a shock to me, I have ruptured my right Achilles tendon. This year especially has been amazing and filled with lots of success and as we all know there are highs and lows throughout a career. This is just another obstacle that I will overcome. I’m thankful that I have so many people in my corner to help me every step of the way. I’m feeling every emotion possible at this point but just know that the bounce back will be real and I’ll be back better than ever.”

And it means we in Everett are going to miss out on our chance to watch one of the world’s greatest athletes in person.

The Storm are spending the next two seasons as basketball vagabonds while their prior home, KeyArena, is torn down and replaced by a new arena. Everett is one of the beneficiaries as Angel of the Winds Arena will play host to one preseason game (on May 15) and five regular-season games in 2019. That includes the season opener on May 25, when the Storm will celebrate their 2018 WNBA championship.

And I am looking forward to watching the Storm play in our backyard. I have to admit that I haven’t been a diligent follower of the Storm over the years. But I took in one of their playoff games against the Phoenix Mercury as a fan and was blown away by the quality of play. The game was fast and the players were skilled, whipping the ball around on offense like a pinball in a tremendous display of teamwork. It was a refreshing change from the men’s game, which has largely become isolation ball.

I ended up following closely the rest of the Storm’s run to the league title, and when it was announced that Everett would serve as one of the team’s temporary homes, I immediately began setting my calendar so I could cover as many of those games as possible.

But Stewart’s injury casts a bit of a shadow over those proceedings.

Indeed, it was a rough week for the Storm as a whole, as on Friday Seattle coach Dan Hughes announced he’s been diagnosed with cancer. One can’t help but feel a a heavy does of sympathy for Stewart, Hughes and the entire Storm organization.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still going to go to as many games as possible and I’m going to enjoy the heck out of them. We’ll have the great fortune to watch Sue Bird, perhaps the best female point guard ever to play the game. We’ll get to see Jewell Lloyd and her aggressive slashing to the basket. We’ll see the rugged interior presence of Natasha Howard, and the dogged perimeter defense of Alysha Clark. Even without Stewart I fully expect the Storm to put on a great show.

I just wish the brightest star among them could have been part of it.

Follow Nick Patterson on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Jackson High School's Kyle Peacocke hands the 2023 WIAA class 4A softball championship trophy to the team after their win in Richland, Wash., on Sat., May 27. (TJ Mullinax/for The Herald)
Prep state tournaments set to begin this week

Here’s a look at where local teams will open tournament play.

Snohomish sophomore Deyton Wheat (22) celebrates his go-ahead, three-run home run with senior Brayden Holscher (11) during the Panthers' 4-2 win against Monroe in a District 1 3A consolation game in Woodinville, Washington on May 17, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Brea Bursch / Snohomish Baseball)
Snohomish, Shorewood earn state baseball tourney berths

Panthers top Monroe 4-2, Stormrays blank Edmonds-Woodway 7-0 in District 1 3A consolation.

The Shorewood boys soccer team celebrates with their trophy after winning the District 1 3A title on May 17, 2025 at Shoreline Stadium. (Qasim Ali / The Herald)
Shorewood boys soccer storms to district three-peat

An early penalty lifts the Stormrays to a 1-0 win over Monroe in the title game.

File Photo: Stanwood senior Gavin Gehrman delivers a pitch during the Spartans' 8-3 win against Arlington in Stanwood, Washington on March 19, 2025. In Stanwood's 7-4 loss to Mount Vernon in the District 1 3A Championship on May 17, 2025, Gehrman went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Stanwood baseball slips in District 1 3A Championship

The Spartans’ early 3-0 lead crumbles as Mount Vernon wins 7-4 in comeback.

Weekend prep baseball roundup for May 16-17

Reese Logsdon leads Archbishop Murphy to state.

Weekend prep boys soccer roundup for May 16-17

Warriors, Wildcats, Scots advance to state.

Jackson’s Matea Lopez and Allie Thomsen leap in the air and high five during the 4A District 1 game against Lake Stevens on Friday, May 16, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Weekend prep softball roundup for May 16-17

Jackson takes third in bi-district tournament.

Weekend prep track and field roundup for May 15-17

Weekend prep track & field roundup for May 15-17: (Note for coaches/scorekeepers:… Continue reading

Scottie Scheffler celebrates with his caddie, Ted Scott, on the 18th green after winning the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Alex Slitz / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Scottie Scheffler digs deep, dominates PGA Championship

The coronation of Scottie Scheffler had taken an unexpected detour,… Continue reading

Stanwood players cheer as pitcher Addi Anderson lifts the 3A District 1 Championship trophy in the air after beating Sedro-Woolley for the title on Thursday, May 15, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Stanwood softball ekes out District 1 3A title

The Spartans defeat top seed Sedro-Woolley 2-1 in 10 innings thanks to Addi Anderson’s gem.

Snohomish’s Abby Edwards yells after beating Edmonds-Woodway in the 3A District 1 consolation game on Thursday, May 15, 2025 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish softball punches state tournament ticket

The Panthers stay hot after slow start to season with 12-2 win against Edmonds-Woodway.

Lake Stevens shortstop Aspen Alexander nearly makes a sliding play in the field during a playoff loss to Bothell on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Prep baseball roundup for Thursday, May 15

Lake Stevens clinches first state berth in eight years.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.