Breanna Stewart says Liberty kept ‘receipts’ on Aces comments after last year’s WNBA finals

Following their victory over Las Vegas in Game 4 of the 2024 WNBA playoffs semifinals, Breanna Stewart opened up about her drive to make it to another final and prevent the Aces from achieving a three-peat.

Stewart shared that her main motivation throughout the series against the Aces was to honor the memory of her wife Marta’s father, who passed away over a year ago. She also mentioned that the comments made by the Aces after winning the championship last season fueled her fire.

She explained, “The way things went down last year, going through all of that, and ensuring that this year would be different. Marta and I made a commitment to fulfill her dad’s wishes, and we continue to do so.” Stewart then added, “And I have evidence of all the things that were said. The entire team does. My focus today was to secure this win for my wife and her dad.” Stewart led both teams in scoring during the semifinals with an average of 21.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game.

During the championship parade last year, Aces coach Becky Hammon mocked Stewart by bringing up her 3-for-17 performance in Game 4. Meanwhile, Aces guard Kelsey Plum criticized the Liberty, questioning their team dynamics despite their individual talents.

Hammon admits they talked ‘a lot of smack’

This season, the Liberty have dominated, earning their spot in the WNBA Finals behind the stellar performances of players like Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones.

“We talked a lot of smack last year, I’m sure they heard it. And they got to smack us,” acknowledged Aces coach Hammon. “They’ve been the best team all year. Let’s be real. Their group earned it. They earned it all year,” she conceded.