What does Breanna Stewart’s Fenerbahçe return for the EuroLeague Final Six mean?

On Monday morning, it was announced that Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty star and Unrivaled co-founder, has signed with the Turkish powerhouse club Fenerbahçe.

Stewart, a two-time EuroLeague Final Four MVP and two-time EuroLeague champion, played for Fenerbahçe in their 2022-23 season, which was her most recent stint in international basketball.

Stewart is currently playing for Mist BC in Unrivaled, so she won’t join Fenerbahçe immediately. However, she’s expected to help a Fenerbahçe team that already features the likes of Emma Meesseman, Gabby Williams and Kayla McBride compete in the EuroLeague Final Six, which is played in mid-April.

The Final Six concludes on April 19th—the projected first day of WNBA training camp.

While her return to European basketball won’t affect her Unrivaled season, it comes dangerously close to infringing upon the WNBA schedule. The W has been notoriously strict about player commitments overseas, and has punished players for prioritizing exterior assignments during the WNBA season. Williams, her soon-to-be Fenerbahçe teammate, has been a notable voice pushing back against prioritization rules, as she missed significant portion of the 2024 WNBA season to fulfill European commitments.

The 2020 CBA declared that players must report to their WNBA teams by May 1, or the start of training camp if that date was later than May 1. While the new CBA’s prioritization clause (or lack thereof) is unclear right now, Stewart’s signing almost feels like a slap in the face to the WNBA.

Even if Stewart ends up being able to return to the Liberty before May 1, the thin margin that she’s giving herself is a statement on its own.

Stewart hasn’t felt the need to play in Europe since 2023. With brand deals, Unrivaled and her WNBA contract, it’s hard to believe she’s motivated by any financial incentive. We can’t put words in her mouth, but her move to Fenerbahçe feels closely connected to a well-documented lack of confidence in a new CBA, and in WNBA leadership in general.

It’s entirely possible that Stewart had a simple epiphany that she missed European basketball. After all, she’s had many successes on that side of the globe. It’s also possible that she’s reminding WNBA leadership that there are plenty of non-W options for high-caliber players, and that they don’t have a monopoly on elite women’s basketball.

Finally, there’s a real chance that Stewart’s signing isn’t a threat at all, but instead an actual response to CBA negotiations. Stewart is a vice president of the WNBAPA, and has been in countless meetings about the future of the league. Maybe she isn’t trying to send some message to the W, but is instead predicting a delayed season, and therefore planning to play elsewhere.

Again, this is all speculation.

We know that Stewart will be reprising in the yellow and black, and any ulterior motives could be nothing but make believe. Yet, as all indications suggest that tensions surrounding CBA negotiations remain between the WNBA and WNBPA, there is never a wrong moment to read between the lines.