Three years after departing the Seattle Storm for the New York Liberty, Breanna Stewart finally received a video tribute acknowledging her significant contributions to the franchise. The acknowledgment occurred before Thursday's game between the Liberty and the Storm at Climate Pledge Arena.
The in-arena announcer invited attendees to turn their attention to the video boards, which displayed a message: “Three years ago, we missed… and we wanted to get it right.” This preceded a montage of Stewart’s career highlights, celebrating her two WNBA championships won in Seattle.
Stewart, who was not playing in the game due to rest, watched the tribute from the sideline. She appeared emotional, with her eyes welling up and a smile on her face, as she took in the recognition.
This marked Stewart’s first return to Seattle since she signed with the Liberty before the 2023 season. In previous visits, the Storm had not officially honored her, a customary practice for players departing for new teams. This lack of recognition had previously caused Stewart to express mixed feelings about returning to the city.
Stewart, the first overall pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft, joined Seattle at age 21 and quickly became a cornerstone player. During her tenure, she was named Rookie of the Year in 2016, earned MVP honors two years later, and was instrumental in securing two WNBA titles for the Storm within a three-year span. Despite these achievements, the team had not previously broadcast a video tribute to her accomplishments, unlike the recognition extended to other former players, such as Aces guard Jewell Loyd.
Stewart had previously stated that the absence of acknowledgment from the franchise she dedicated years to had been hurtful. “I think that when I first came back here, it was definitely emotional for me and just not being appreciated in front of those fans, that hurt,” Stewart had said. “But that’s not my decision. And I continue to kind of be my best and go with my head held high and everything and if that’s what the organization wanted to do, then that’s on them.”
The Storm's tribute on Thursday appears to have mended any lingering feelings, with the organization now having formally recognized Stewart's impact.