Breanna Stewart says she has sprained MCL, listed questionable for Liberty Game 2
Liberty forward injured left knee late in overtime of Game 1 and says availability depends on pain tolerance
Breanna Stewart revealed Wednesday that she has a sprained medial collateral ligament in her left knee and is listed as questionable for Game 2 of the New York Liberty’s first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Mercury.
Stewart, the Liberty’s forward, said she will try to play through the injury and that her availability will come down to how much pain she can tolerate. She was injured in overtime of Game 1 on Sept. 14, 2025 while driving to the basket and said the moment of the injury "scared me more than anything." "With injuries, there’s probably always a chance [of re-injury], so I’m willing to take that because I want to be out with my team," Stewart added.
The injury occurred late in New York’s overtime victory in Game 1, when Stewart landed awkwardly after a drive to the basket. Team officials listed her as questionable on Wednesday’s injury report ahead of Game 2. The timing of the disclosure came during the Liberty’s preparations to depart for the game and was made public Wednesday morning.
A sprained MCL can range in severity and often is managed with rest, bracing and physical therapy; players sometimes return quickly if the ligament damage is mild and swelling and pain are controlled. Stewart declined to specify the grade of the sprain during her remarks and said she would make decisions in consultation with the team’s medical staff.
The Liberty are 1-0 in the best-of-series after the overtime win. Stewart’s status is significant for the team’s short-term plans given her role as one of the club’s primary scorers and rebounders; the Liberty have not disclosed any alternate rotations or minute-limit plans tied to her injury report.
Team medical staff and coaches customarily reassess players on a day-to-day basis during the playoffs. Stewart’s statement emphasized her willingness to accept the risk of re-injury to remain with her teammates in the postseason. The Liberty have not released a formal update on any imaging results or a projected timeline for recovery.
The Liberty will provide further updates through their standard channels as medical evaluations continue. This is a developing story.