Breanna Stewart averaged 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists this past season with the New York Liberty. The team went 22–9 with her on the floor, including a 9–0 start.
Beyond her scoring, Stewart, a three-time champion with the Liberty and Seattle Storm, earned 2025 WNBA All-Defensive Second Team honors. As a Vice President of the WNBPA, she is also a lead negotiator in the league’s ongoing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations.
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The talks have reached an 18-month impasse as players seek a new CBA with better revenue sharing and benefits before the 2026 season.
New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart.D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
(D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images)
She recently revealed on her “Game Recognize Game” podcast that negotiations have finally gained traction after the league sent its latest proposal in early February, saying “there’s movement” after months of stalemate.
But the latest development has many questioning whether the 2026 WNBA season will tip off on time. Fenerbahçe Opet announced that Stewart will return to the Turkish powerhouse in April for the EuroLeague Women Final Six in Zaragoza, reuniting with the club where she delivered a record-breaking 35-point Finals MVP performance in their maiden 2023 championship run.
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WNBA training camps are set to open on April 19, the same day the EuroLeague finals end in Spain. By joining Fenerbahçe, Stewart is cutting it remarkably close to the WNBA’s May 8 schedule start date.
This move signals she either expects CBA negotiations to fix the league’s strict “report-on-time” rules very soon, or she’s prepared for the WNBA season to start late if a deal isn’t reached.
Stewart is pursuing a third EuroLeague title while also helping lead collective bargaining talks. Her decision reflects a long-standing reality in the WNBA: even star players have often played overseas to supplement league salaries, which have topped out around $250,000 before a new proposal that includes the possibility of million-dollar contracts.
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Whether she suits up for Fenerbahçe while her Liberty teammates wait in limbo could determine whether the W’s 2026 season starts on time.
Related: LA Sparks React to Kelsey Plum Tying Paige Bueckers, Breanna Stewart in Unrivaled
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
