New York Liberty v Golden State Valkyries SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 28: Breanna Stewart 30 of the New York Liberty warms up before a game between New York Liberty and Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center on June 28, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 9435

Here's why Liberty's Breanna Stewart is having an elite July

Jul 20, 2026, 4:22 AM CUT

The New York Liberty have hit a rough patch this summer, but Breanna Stewart is doing everything possible to keep the team in the competition. Stewart has taken her scoring to another level over the last few weeks.

Right now, she ranks second across the entire WNBA in July scoring average. Amid a very challenging stretch for the franchise, her production has been one of the only positives for the team.

Through five games in July, she has scored 130 total points to average 26.0 points per game. She also grabbed 7.8 rebounds while averaging 2.6 combined steals and blocks.

Sport Bilder des Tages WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA 2024 champions New York Liberty Breanna Stewart stands near the Championship trophy as the team celebrates at City Hall after a ticker-tape parade celebration on Thursday, October 24, 2024 in New York City. Days after defeating the Minnesota Lynx in a Game 5, the Liberty and their fans celebrate in Lower Manhattan and at City Hall and a parade up the Canyon of Heroes. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY WAX20241021111 JOHNxANGELILLO

These numbers were highlighted on X by the basketball account @trendyhoopstars. In June, Stewart averaged 20.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 11 games. That represents an increase of 5.9 points per game from one month to the next.

The account also pointed out the Liberty's 1-4 record during this run. The post noted that New York will finish out the month with games against Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.

Stewart started the month on July 3 with a season-high 36 points and 7 rebounds against the Minnesota Lynx. She followed that with 29 points against the Dallas Wings. Then, 7 points in a rematch with Minnesota and 22 points against the Toronto Tempo.

Her latest performance on July 18 against the Indiana Fever saw her finish with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks. She has scored at least 17 points in every single July appearance.

The only player currently averaging more points per game in July is Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever. Mitchell has scored 27.9 points per game across 7 appearances, totaling 195 points.

The contrast between Stewart’s scoring run and the team's success creates a problem for New York to solve.

Can Breanna Stewart's hot streak help turn the Liberty's season around?

According to the official WNBA standings, the Liberty currently sits at a 13-12 record overall. They are still in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

However, the team has managed just a 1-4 record during July and has lost 8 of its last 10 games overall.

There has been a stability issue on both ends of the floor for the Liberty, which has made it difficult to secure games, even with Stewart performing at an MVP level.

There have been a couple of management changes before the season for the franchise as well. Head coach Chris DeMarco took over the team after the 2025 season, replacing Sandy Brondello, who led the franchise to the 2024 championship.

The remaining July games against Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas offer a mix of winnable matchups and high-stakes tests.

How do you think New York can fix their issues?

Written by

Utsav Sinha

Edited by

Utsav Sinha