New York – Breanna Stewart and her teammates in New York focus on the present and that includes defending the WNBA championship.
The Liberty opened the camp on Sunday along with The other 12 teams In the League. Stewart knows exactly how difficult it is to repeat as a champion, after having won two titles in Seattle and not repeat every time. The only repeated champion in the last two decades in the WNBA was Aces de Las Vegas in 2022 and 2023.
“The mentality is turning the page,” he said. “Knowing what we did last year, we had a lot of time to celebrate it and now it is, build to be better. You know, we talk, being constantly a great night and night.
Freedom has most of the core of the race for the title of last season that was the first in the history of the franchise. Natasha Cloud and Isabelle Harrison also added.
“I thought it was a great beginning. And as, I always said, you can’t bring the same when you want and we have a very good and good freshness about us,” said New York coach Sandy Bondello. “We have some players who really were going to help us. Obviously, you know, nobody bigger than Natasha Cloud.”
Bondello was not worried that Stewart is working back from out -of -season meniscus surgery last month. Stewart participated in the first part of the practice on Sunday and said he is “feeling great.” She will integrate more fully in live practice next week.
Stewart said he felt that he did something in game 5 of the WNBA finals last year and waited until after the opening season of uniquely had ended to take care of him.
“I just needed to clean things there and clean the meniscus,” he said. “And, it was a bit uncomfortable to be dealing. And I want to do it when I am on the floor, I want to play and, without flowing freely and not really thinking about other things.”
While Stewart will return before the regular season begins, freedom will surprise Betnijah Laney-Hamilton for a few months while recovering from his own knee injury.
“We will definitely miss her this season,” Stewart said. “I think, you know, with her she is out, she gives people opportunities. You know, Leonie (febich) will have a more important role. Marina (Johannes) that comes here … will be like the next woman of the mentality and know that they will not take their place. But they will be the best version of themselves.”
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