5 Breanna Stewart facts you didn't know

WNBA All-Star forward Breanna Stewart continued her stellar play in her first year with the New York Liberty this season after six excellent seasons with the Seattle Storm.

She led the Liberty to the second-best record in the league at 32-8 and a spot in the playoffs, where they are now safely in the semi-finals. With "Stewie" as an anchor, New York is expected to continue to be a force in the league for the foreseeable future.

Here are five facts about Breanna Stewart that you may not know:

5 facts about Breanna Stewart you didn't know

#1. She is a 10-time gold medalist with USA Basketball

Apart from a highly decorated WNBA career, Stewart has had a lot of success with USA Basketball, winning no less than 10 gold medals already since playing in the U-16 team in 2009.

She also won gold in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics; the 2022, 2018 and 2014 FIBA World Cups; the 2011 and 2013 FIBA U19 World Cups; the 2012 FIBA Americas U-18 Championship; the 2010 FIBA U-17 World Cup; the 2009 FIBA Americas U-16 Championship.

Furthermore, she boasts of a 99-8 record in USA Basketball games played.

In last year’s FIBA Women’s World Cup, she averaged 12.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.4 blocks in eight games and was named to the tournament's All-Star Five.

#2. She is a vocal supporter of many social issues

The two-time WNBA champion is also making her presence felt off the court. Among the causes she is actively supporting are Black Lives Matter, fighting for increased pay and visibility for WNBA athletes and standing up for the LGBTQ community.

She feels strongly about her causes and makes sure that her thousands of followers on Twitter and Instagram are aware of them.

#3. She boasts a mega wingspan

Aiding Breanna Stewart in her excellent play on the court is her 7-foot-1 wingspan, which is longer than that of LeBron James’, which measures 7 feet.

She has made full use of that wingspan she has not only on offense, making her shot difficult to defend, but also on defense.

At UConn, she finished her career as the all-time leader in blocks with 414. She continues to be a handful on the defensive end, averaging 1.5 blocks and 1.4 steals in seven WNBA seasons.

#4. Breanna is a proud parent of a daughter

Breanna Stewart and her wife Marta Xargay Casademont welcomed their first child, daughter Ruby Mae, by way of surrogacy in August 2021.

The baby came after Stewart helped Team USA defeat Japan, 90-75, in the Women’s Basketball Final to claim the gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. She had 14 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and four steals in the game.

Her partner, Marta, is also a basketball player who plays with both the Phoenix Mercury and Spain’s women’s national basketball team.

#5. Stewart is the only player to win four straight MOP awards at the Final Four

Breanna Stewart was already a made athlete even before stepping on the WNBA. At UConn, she made history as the only player – male or female – to win four straight Most Outstanding Player awards at the Final Four.

She led the Huskies to a historic run of four consecutive titles where she dominated and feted accordingly.

Incredibly, Stewart lost only once in her 121 games at UConn, with all the victories coming by double digits. In addition to her MOP awards, she also became the first women’s player to win three straight AP Player of the Year honors.