February 1, 2023
Locked on Women’s Basketball: Stew York: Breanna Stewart to the New York Liberty
By The Next
Howard and Jackie chat about their reaction to Stew York — what Breanna Stewart brings to the Liberty

It’s time for another episode of the Locked on Women’s Basketball podcast. Breanna Stewart announced that she is joining the New York Liberty on Wednesday. It changes the course of the WNBA forever, host Howard Megdal says. Jackie Powell, The Next‘s Liberty beat reporter joins as the two discuss what it all means for everyone from Sabrina Ionescu to Han Xu and, less enjoyably, for the Seattle Storm.
Jackie talks about her first reaction when the news became official that Breanna Stewart was coming to New York. Plus, the Liberty not needing a second unit:
“It was, Oh my god. She made the decision. She did it. Oh my god. There it is. Oh, my God. There it is, that was my reaction.”
“I think it’s worth noting that the Liberty already have a bench; they’re not going out and trying to get a bench. They have a bench that they’ve developed over the years. I think it was Hunter Cruse who tweeted a mini clip of Han Xu, yes, the unstoppable force that is Han Xu and he wrote something along the lines of it’s not fair that she will come off the bench.”
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Howard talks about New York Liberty’s frontcourt:
“Imagine a frontcourt of Han Xu, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart; I guess Stewart is the three at 6’4. And Jonquel Jones 6’6 at the four, she is a stretch four. Han Xu at the five, she’s 6’10. They can all shoot the three; they can all rim-protect.”
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