Breanna Stewart was not settling for silver.
Trailing by two at halftime in the FIBA Women’s World Cup final against France, Stewart took over, scoring 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to lead the U.S. to its fifth consecutive gold medal. Stewart, who won her fourth FIBA World Cup gold, took home tournament MVP honors for the second time in her career.
“I wanted that gold,” Stewart told Sports Illustrated on behalf of CLIF Bar. “There was a lot of talk and chatter about maybe this wasn’t going to be our year and things like that… but it wasn't going to happen on my watch. The amount of pride and pressure when you represent USA basketball just because of what the players before have done and winning those gold medals. We were really excited for the moment and knew that it was literally going to be whoever could control their emotions best was going to win the game, and I thought we did a really great job of that.”
That extra gear Stewart tapped into may very well have WNBA opponents on high alert. The three-time league champion is coming off one of the most efficient seasons of her career, despite knee soreness that held her out of the Liberty’s last regular-season game. The two-time WNBA MVP averaged 20.8 points on a near-career-high 47.4% shooting, along with 8.3 rebounds per game, while leading the Liberty to a 26–18 record and playoff berth.
Now, fresh off a FIBA World Cup MVP performance and entering the WNBA playoffs, Stewart is already tapped into a high-stakes mindset.
“It's a perfect lead-up for me being with Team USA because it’s doing whatever it takes and making sure my motor is hot,” Stewart says. “There’s not going to be many second chances, you know, you’ve got to get it right on the first one, and I’m going to do that. That’s my intention.”
The Liberty’s upcoming opponent will put Stewart and the Liberty to the test. Entering the postseason as the bottom seed, New York is matched up against the top-seeded Lynx in the first round. Minnesota will hold home-court advantage for the best-of-three series, while the Liberty enter the matchup with a 2–1 regular-season advantage over the Lynx.
Coming off a first-round exit to the Mercury last season, Stewart wants to return to the chemistry that saw the Liberty take home the 2024 title. But now entering the 2026 postseason as the underdog and facing the 33–11 Lynx, she knows it’s not going to be easy.
“I’m excited for the challenge,” Stewart said before the Liberty’s opponent was determined. “It hasn’t been all glittery and gold per se, but it’s been worth it. I think that sometimes we forget we won the Commissioner’s Cup; we have had that success. It’s just maintaining that and keeping it consistent, and that’s why I’m excited to play.”
Now returning to her WNBA routine after the FIBA World Cup in Berlin, Stewart is no stranger to adapting on the fly. She credits one of her favorite snacks and partner company, CLIF Bar, with keeping her fueled.
“On all the travels back from Berlin and whatnot, having the chocolate chip [CLIF] bar in my bag, making sure that I have the energy bites at halftime during the games, just in case I need a little bit of the extra push or a little bit extra of like a pump has been really helpful and supportive,” Stewart says. “That's something that's been consistent throughout [my career], but especially this week.”
With more travel on the horizon in the playoffs, Stewart is already locked in—and taking down the red-hot Lynx will need every bit of fight.
“We have to be road warriors,” Stewart says. “We have a team that has enough experience and enough vets to really get the job done. I think the main thing is like focusing on ourselves, using that to go forward.”
