How much pain is Breanna Stewart willing to endure as she pursues her fourth WNBA championship?
This is the question lingering over Stewart, the New York Liberty and the rest of the playoff field entering Wednesday's action.
During Game 1 of the Liberty's first-round series against the Phoenix Mercury, Stewart suffered a left knee injury with 3:01 left in overtime of an eventual 76-69 win for New York.
With a chance to sweep the Mercury and advance to the semifinals on Wednesday night, the reigning champion Liberty have been anxiously waiting to find out whether Stewart -- who dropped 18 points in Phoenix on Sunday -- will be available for the remainder of the postseason, let alone Game 2 against the Mercury.
MORE: Liberty's Breanna Stewart gets huge injury update after Phoenix scare
Stewart has revealed that she suffered an MCL sprain in her left knee, an injury that would have kept her out for weeks in the regular season. But after taking part in shootaround on Wednesday morning, the two-time WNBA MVP plans to play in Game 2 as the Liberty try to close out the Mercury.
"What I felt in that moment scared me more than anything," Stewart told reporters from Barclays Center. "I'm very happy that I've gotten my MRI results back, and knowing that it's something I can play through."
New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart – QUESTIONABLE (Left Knee) said she has an MCL sprain and plans to play in Game 2 against the Phoenix Mercury.#WNBA pic.twitter.com/Od37W8SmXy
— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) September 17, 2025
Stewart, 31, is one of the most accomplished players of all-time -- and as she chases her fourth WNBA title to add to her four NCAA championships at UConn, a pesky ligament sprain isn't about to undo all her hard work.
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