Breanna Stewart is going home.
No, not Seattle, her adopted home since the Storm selected her No. 1 overall in the 2016 WNBA draft and the place where she became one of the brightest young sports stars in the history of the city.
The 28-year-old Syracuse, New York, native is returning to the East Coast and joining the New York Liberty, which plays in Brooklyn, about a five-hour drive from her hometown.
After weeks of guessing where she’d land and cryptic tweets filled with emojis, Stewart left no doubt about her choice on the first official day of free agency, posting a Statue of Liberty emoji with an image of “Stewie” on the Empire State Building.
New York is getting one of the most dynamic, versatile and productive stars to ever play in the WNBA who was voted by the league to its all-time Top 25 team in 2021.
The lanky 6-foot-4 forward averaged 21.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.9 blocks last season.
Stewart, the 2018 WNBA MVP, two-time champion and Finals MVP (2018 and 2020), four-time All-Star, joins forces with 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones and All-Star point guard Sabrina Ionescu to comprise a super team that will try to bring the Liberty, one of league’s eight original franchises, it’s first WNBA championship.
At the moment, New York appears to be the only team capable of matching firepower with defending WNBA champion Las Vegas, which reloaded and added two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker to a stacked roster that included four All-Stars, including reigning MVP A’ja Wilson.
Meanwhile, Stewart’s departure official begins a massive rebuilding project for the Storm, which lost legendary point guard Sue Bird to retirement and has just two players under contract.
Seattle has $394,936 tied up in salaries, which leaves general manager Talisa Rhea with a little over $1 million to build a team around four-time WNBA All-Star Jewell Loyd and promising center Mercedes Russell, who played just five games last year due to a reoccurring headache syndrome.
The Storm also lost Stephanie Talbot to free agency Wednesday, as the forward signed with the Los Angeles Sparks.
The 2023 WNBA salary cap is $1.4 million and teams must carry at least 11 players and a maximum of 12.
The Storm extended qualifying offers to forward Gabby Williams and center Ezi Magbegor.
Without Stewart, Seattle is in desperate need of a veteran star to partner with Loyd and could possibly re-sign Tina Charles, who joined the Storm at midseason last year and started 16 of 24 games, including the playoffs.
The Storm could also pursue top free agents including former Kentwood High star Courtney Vandersloot, Nneka Ogwumike and Emma Meesseman.
Seattle has the ninth overall pick, two picks in the second round at No. 18 and 21 as well as a third-round selection at No. 33 in the WNBA draft on April 10.
This story will be updated.