Despite missing all of last season with a torn Achilles tendon, and having this season disrupted by the coronavirus, Breanna Stewart says she never doubted her Seattle Storm would be back in the WNBA Finals.

"We knew that with the pieces we had to get us to the Finals in 2018, and having those pieces back, we had a great opportunity this year," said the former C-NS high school star. "We came to this bubble for things bigger than us, but we also came to this bubble to win."

What You Need To Know


  • Led by C-NS alum Breanna Stewart, the Seattle Storm are playing in their second WNBA Finals in three seasons

  • Stewart leads the Storm in minutes played, points scored, rebounds, steals, and blocks

  • The 25-year old missed all of last season recovering from an Achilles tendon tear

  • The Storm face top-seed Las Vegas in game one of the Finals Friday night

And win they have, tying for the best record in the league at 18-4 during the regular season, all of which has been conducted in a 'bubble' in Bradenton, Florida. Stewart has been the catalyst, picking up where she left off when she was named the league's MVP in 2018, leading her team in minutes, points, rebounds, steals, and blocks.

Breanna says playing overseas for the first few months of 2020 before the virus struck really helped in her recovery from the injury, and by the time the WNBA season began in late July, she was virtually back to 100 percent.

"I felt great, I feel great, just continuing to do what I do," she said. "Just [being] able to play, and to be confident, and know that all the work that I put in was worth it. I'm happy to be back."

She and her team are back in the Finals, but unlike two seasons ago, this time the Storm are the underdogs. Seattle is the No. 2 seed in the bracket, and went 0-2 against the top-seed Las Vegas Aces this season. The Aces also feature 2020 WNBA MVP Aja Wilson, who edged out Stewart for the award.

However, Las Vegas has also never even won a game in the WNBA Finals, while the Storm are seeking their fourth title and second in two years. And, Seattle has Stewie.

"Winning is the reason why I play basketball," Stewart said. "I play to win. Being back in the Finals is exactly where we wanted to be, but coming into this, we weren't satisfied with anything less than being back here, and bringing the trophy home."