Liberty stars Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu both said Wednesday that they will re-sign with New York, ending suspense over their intentions as free agents.
Stewart will embark on her fourth season with the Liberty and tenth WNBA campaign overall. She is a two-time MVP, winning the award with the Seattle Storm in 2018 and with New York in 2023.
Ionescu will be entering her seventh season and has spent her entire career with the Liberty. She was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2020 and is a four-time All-Star.
Stewart, 31, made her announcement on the podcast that she co-hosts wth Myles Turner of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks.
“I’m going to just set the record straight here: I will be staying in New York,” Stewart said on the podcast. “I’m not planning on taking any free agency meetings, even though I am an unrestricted free agent. My family is set up here, we’re solid here.
“I’m going to be back in New York and that’s all there is to it.”
Stewart averaged 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 31 games last season. She was named an All-Star for the seventh time.
The three-time WNBA champion – 2018 and 2020 with Seattle, 2024 with New York – has career averages of 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 292 games.
Ionescu, 28, made her intentions known when asked by reporters at USA Basketball training camp in Phoenix.
“Obviously I’m where I’m supposed to be,” Ionescu said. “Never thought anything different, and so excited to be able to sign and get started. It’s coming up really quickly, so excited to get all this behind us and just be able to start our season and get going in New York.”
The Oregon product averaged 18.2 points, 5.7 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 38 games last season.
Ionsecu has career averages of 16.7 points, 5.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds in 181 games (177 starts). She has won one WNBA title (2024).
Both players earned just over $222,000 last season. Their salaries will increase dramatically under terms of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement that was agreed to last month.
–Field Level Media
