Giannis Antetokounmpo was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat on Monday. On Tuesday, the New York Liberty beat the Las Vegas Aces 87-76. Giannis Antetokounmpo attended the game, sat courtside, and met Breanna Stewart in Las Vegas right after the game ended.

The WNBA uploaded a video clip on X where Stewart could be seen greeting Giannis and his family inside the backstage hallway.

The caption read, "Nothing but respect. Breanna Stewart catches up with the Antetokounmpo family after New York's win in Vegas!"

It was an important meeting considering the status that both individuals hold at the peak of their respective games.

Two-time WNBA MVP, 2018 and 2023, Stewart met up with two-time NBA MVP, 2019 and 2020, 2021 Finals MVP, and a ten-time All-Star who played 13 years for the Milwaukee Bucks and holds the record as the all-time leading scorer (21,531 points), rebounder (8,882 rebounds), and assists (4,484 assists).

The warm welcome that Stewart received was not limited to Giannis alone. She also hugged the family of A’ja Wilson in her post-match celebration, which was shared by the WNBA on its social media handles.

In terms of game performance, Stewart performed best when it really counted. She managed to score 15 of her 20 points in the second half, shooting 7 out of 16 shots in the field, including two three-pointers.

Ionescu had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, with Jonquel Jones contributing 14 points, and Leonie Fiebich made 4-for-5 shots from three to add 12 points to her total.

The Liberty's victory is also an important message before the Commissioner's Cup Championship scheduled between the two teams on June 30, 2026.

Stewart has done far more than what she does in any game, and her college head coach knows that very well.

Geno Auriemma Lauds Breanna Stewart's Career

Head coach of UConn, Geno Auriemma, who has coached Stewart since her days as a four-time NCAA champion, believes that Stewart has become one of the most influential people in women's basketball.

"I'm proud of her because it would be easy to say, 'Look, I'm a basketball player, and that's it,'" Auriemma said during a media conference call previewing an upcoming ESPN/ABC broadcast reunion.

The admiration is well placed, too, with Stewart being part of the recent negotiations of the WNBA that led to the formation of the first million-dollar deal and the first revenue-sharing model in professional women’s sports.

Stewart also co-founded Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 league for players to have an off-season game inside the country.

However, in two weeks, Auriemma will reunite with Stewart, as he will be joining the broadcast crew for the Liberty's game on July 7 against the Dallas Wings.

On that same day, he will also see many of his former UConn players, among them Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers.

What is your opinion on the influence of Breanna Stewart inside and outside the field? Comment down below.

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta