Liberty’s Breanna Stewart has mixed feelings about Seattle return

SEATTLE — Liberty star Breanna Stewart always has mixed feelings on her trips to Seattle. 

This time — her fourth with the Liberty — is no different. 

“It feels good, always nice when people kind of stop me and just appreciate what I’ve been able to do here so far,” Stewart told The Post on Saturday after practice. 

There’s plenty of happy memories here. 

Stewart arrived in the Emerald City as a 21-year-old and first pick of the 2016 WNBA Draft. She immediately was one of the team’s best players. 

Stewart was named Rookie of the Year that season, league MVP only two years later and helped the Storm win two WNBA titles in three years. 

But Stewart also is sad about the people she doesn’t get to see every day since she signed with the Liberty before the 2023 season. 

“This is where I kind of grew up,” she said. “I grew into my professional career and always has a special place in my heart, for sure.” 

Still, Stewart never got the full welcome back treatment in any of the Liberty’s three trips the past two years. 

The Storm never put together a video of her accomplishments to broadcast on the jumbotron. They never took the time to recognize her in any of her returns. 

Stewart doesn’t think about that much — except when prodded by a reporter. 

“Listen, it is what it is,” she said. “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. 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 didn’t designate Stewart as a core player in 2023, allowing her to become an unrestricted free agent. Instead, Seattle selected Jewell Loyd, who, at her request, was traded last offseason. 

Stewart signed with the Liberty with the promise of bringing a championship to New York. She delivered on that vow last season. 

Returning to Seattle as a WNBA champion validated Stewart’s difficult decision to leave in the first place. 

“It feels good to come back” as a reigning champion, Stewart said, “and know that it was all worth it.” 

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Jonquel Jones will be sidelined for approximately four to six weeks with a right ankle sprain, the Liberty announced. 

Jones aggravated her injured right ankle in the second quarter of Thursday’s loss. 

Jones was seen leaving the locker room in a walking boot and didn’t make the trip to Seattle with the team.