There are plenty of elite basketball stars out there—but only a few who could just as easily headline a Sports Illustrated spread. Breanna Stewart is firmly on that short list.
The 6’4″ forward from Syracuse, New York, has basically done it all: WNBA championships, league MVPs, Olympic gold medals—you name it, she’s probably got one (or two). On the court, she’s known for her dominant two-way game and do-it-all versatility. Off it, she’s co-founded the Unrivaled 3×3 league, because apparently winning everything wasn’t quite enough.
And yes, let’s not pretend people haven’t noticed—she carries that effortless, no-trying-too-hard kind of appeal that makes the whole “elite athlete meets style icon” thing look very natural.
Who is Breanna Stewart
Breanna Stewart—better known as Stewie—is the kind of player whose résumé starts sounding made up if you read it too fast. She currently suits up for the New York Liberty in the WNBA and the Mist in Unrivaled, and somewhere along the way, built a case for being one of the most accomplished players the game has ever seen.
Long before the pros, she was already collecting awards like they were loyalty points—National Gatorade Player of the Year, Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year, McDonald’s All-American… just a casual high school run. Then she went to UConn and did something even more ridiculous: led the Huskies to four straight national championships. She was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player every single time (a record, obviously) and picked up three national player of the year awards for good measure. At that point, the overachieving was no longer a phase.
The WNBA draft in 2016 made her the first overall pick—no suspense there—and she immediately took Rookie of the Year. Since then, it’s been a steady stream of MVPs (2018, 2023), All-Star selections (basically every year she’s available), and championships. She led the Seattle Storm to titles in 2018 and 2020, winning Finals MVP both times, then added another championship with the New York Liberty in 2024—because apparently switching teams doesn’t slow her down.
And that’s just the U.S. side. Overseas, she’s won multiple EuroLeague titles, earned MVP honors there too, and picked up championships in Russia and Türkiye. Basically, wherever there’s a hoop, she’s probably dominated it.
On the international stage, she’s been just as relentless—winning Olympic gold medals in 2016, 2020, and 2024, along with multiple FIBA World Cup titles. So yes, when people call her one of the best ever, it’s not hype—it’s just a very efficient summary.
Her Early Life
Breanna Stewart was born Breanna Mackenzie Baldwin on August 27, 1994, in Syracuse, New York, and raised by her mother, Heather Baldwin, who handled the whole “do-it-all parent” role while working multiple jobs. Later, her mom married Brian Stewart, who adopted Breanna and gave her the last name the basketball world now knows very well. She also has a younger half-brother, Connor—so yes, she’s been setting the overachiever example at home for a while.
Basketball entered her life early, and thanks to her height, coaches initially tried to keep her planted near the basket as a rebounder. Her dad had other ideas. He pushed her to develop guard skills—ball handling, shooting, the whole package—which led to a daily routine of dribbling around her block for about a mile, headphones on, just putting in the work. It paid off. Before long, she wasn’t just tall—she was skilled, confidently dribbling behind her back and between her legs like it was second nature.
In 2017, Stewart shared a deeply personal part of her story in The Players’ Tribune, revealing that she had experienced abuse as a child between the ages of 9 and 11. She told her parents, who acted immediately and contacted authorities. The person responsible later confessed and served prison time.
It’s a difficult chapter, but one that underscores her resilience—and adds even more weight to everything she’s accomplished since.
Career Journey
Breanna Stewart—aka Stewie, aka “Bean,” aka “6–10” (yes, that wingspan was doing numbers)—was already bending the rules of normal basketball development at Cicero–North Syracuse High School. She joined the varsity team in eighth grade, casually starting most games and putting up nine points, nearly nine rebounds, and seven blocks per game. Not bad for someone who technically still had homework in middle school.
By freshman year, she basically said “let’s double that,” jumping to 17 points per game and helping her team to a 21–3 record and a regional final appearance. Sophomore year? Up to 22 points per game and still starting every game, because of course. By junior year, she led her team to a state AA title, announced she was heading to UConn, and then—just for flair—threw down her first in-game dunk the very next day. Subtle.
She hit the 2,000-point milestone in early 2012 and racked up pretty much every major high school honor available: McDonald’s All-American, WBCA All-American, Naismith Player of the Year, and Gatorade National Player of the Year (presented by Tamika Catchings, no less). When it came time to commit to college, she kept it very on-brand—straight to the point. After visiting UConn, she told the coaches she was ready to commit if they’d have her. She even signed her letter on the hood of her car. Efficient. No drama. Very Stewie.
Fast forward to 2016, she was the obvious first overall pick in the WNBA Draft, landing with the Seattle Storm alongside legend Sue Bird. She wasted zero time making an impression, dropping 23 points in her debut. Rookie season? Handled. League notice? Served.
From there, it’s been a steady climb into superstar territory—All-Star selections, MVP-level play, and championships. By 2018, she had fully entered her “best player on the planet” phase, dominating both in the WNBA and overseas, including an MVP run in EuroLeague with Dynamo Kursk.
Internationally, she’s been just as unstoppable. She represented Team USA at multiple major tournaments, won Olympic gold in 2016, and followed it up with another gold in 2020, where she averaged a double-double and took home tournament MVP honors. Casual global dominance.
And just when it seemed like she’d checked every box, she helped lead the New York Liberty to their first-ever WNBA championship in 2024. Because apparently, even history needed a little Stewie in it.
Facts and Trivia
Breanna Stewart doesn’t really do “off-season”—she just switches formats. In 2024, she was officially announced as part of the inaugural season of Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 league she co-founded with Napheesa Collier. Naturally, she plays for the Mist… and casually scored the first basket in league history. Because if there’s a milestone available, Stewie is probably already there.
Back in 2018, she stepped off the court and into ESPN’s The Body Issue, showing a different kind of athletic confidence—one that still had people talking (and not just about her jump shot).
Off the court, her life is just as full. She’s married to former WNBA and EuroLeague player Marta Xargay Casademont, whom she met while they were teammates overseas. Stewart proposed in 2021, they got married that July, and then—because timing is apparently just a suggestion—welcomed their first child, Ruby Mae, about 48 hours after Stewart won Olympic gold in Tokyo. Yes, really. Their second child, Theo Josep, arrived in October 2023, making it a full (and likely very tall) family lineup.
Brand-wise, she’s been just as dominant. She signed with Nike in 2016, later partnered with Puma in 2021, and in 2022 dropped the Stewie 1 Quiet Fire—Puma’s first women’s signature basketball shoe in over a decade. Light work.
Unrivaled, the league she co-founded in 2023, officially tipped off in January 2025 in Miami, built in part to give WNBA players a strong domestic option during the offseason. By 2024, Ally Financial came on as a founding partner, and Stewart joined Team Ally as an athlete—because of course she’s involved on every level.
And in case there was any doubt about her impact beyond the court, she landed on the Time 100 list in 2025, recognized as one of the most influential people in the world. Not bad for someone who still treats history-making like part of her daily routine.
Breanna Stewart Photos
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