In a Sunday afternoon semifinal battle in the WNBA, 30-year-old Breanna Stewart led her New York Liberty Team with 19 points and 14 rebounds as well as dishing out 5 assists. The Liberty defeated the Las Vegas Aces 76-62 to secure a spot in the WNBA finals.
Stewart, who is also a mother of two, has an impressively long list of accolades that only come when you are a generational talent: 2018 WNBA MVP, 2018 and 2020 WNBA Finals MVP, 2021 Commissioner's Cup MVP, 2022 WNBA Scoring Leader, 2016 WNBA Rookie of the Year, 2x Olympic Gold Medalist, 2x WNBA Champion, and beyond. But arguably her biggest win came in 2017, when she shared her story of sexual abuse in an article with the Player’s Tribune.
Stewart’s Story
When Stewart was a young child, she “used to sleep over at relatives’ houses all the time.” She “was molested for years” at a relative’s house without anyone else’s knowledge, before she told her parents when she was 11. Now, at 30 years old, Stewart says that every time she tells someone, she feels “a little more unburdened.”
Speaking out publicly is “one of the most difficult things” she’s ever done, but Stewart continues to tell her story because she felt “less alone” after “reading McKayla Maroney’s personal account of sexual abuse.” This highlights the importance of sharing your story, even when it might seem scary.
The Impact of Stewart’s VOICE
Stewart’s father told her that her experience with sexual assault is “not a dirty little secret,” and “when you’re comfortable with it, and when you’re comfortable being open about it, you could save someone’s life.” And that’s exactly why Stewart chose to write the Player’s Tribune article. She encourages anyone experiencing gender-based violence to “tell somebody,” and “if that person doesn’t believe you, tell somebody else” because “help is there.”
“When you’re comfortable being open about it, you could save someone’s life.”
Stewart also shares that “part of why I waited so long to tell so many people — even those very close to me — is because I don’t want to be defined by this any more than I want to be only defined by how well I play basketball.” She now knows that “both things are a part of me — they make me who I am,” and “we are all a little more complicated than we might seem.”
Support of Her Coaches
“Geno Auriemma was one of few people” that Stewart “chose to share the story with before its publication.” Stewart told Sports Team 8 that Auriemma “was really proud of me” and “happy” that she was able to speak up.
It’s incredibly important for young people to have trusted adults to turn to in times of hardship to help them navigate challenges and avoid negative coping mechanisms like substance abuse, eating disorders, and self-harm. Sport provides opportunity for coaches to be these trusted adults in the lives of women athletes, and this is yet another reason why we need to continue to work to keep girls in sport.
What’s Ahead
Depending on the outcome of Tuesday’s semifinal Game 5, Stewart and the Liberty will face either the Minnesota Lynx or the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA Finals. Stewart has a chance to add to her already jaw-dropping list of accomplishments, and the Liberty could win their first championship in franchise history. But no matter what happens, Stewart’s courage to speak up has already made her a champion.
