WNBA FINALS: STORM VS. ACES

October 2, 2020

Breanna Stewart

Seattle Storm

Game 1: Postgame

Seattle Storm 93, Las Vegas Aces 80

Q. I'm curious about that fourth quarter and just your mindset. Do you have a sense of like, okay, now I need to just go now, and can you sort of take us through that 11-0 run?

BREANNA STEWART: Just continuing to take advantage of opportunities. I don't think I was like, oh, I'm going to score this many points straight. I was just taking what they gave me and being confident.

Q. No one has ever done what you did statistically with 37 and 15. I'm wondering just for you personally by your own scale where it ranks, and just related to it, you don't get a lot of game-winning shots in your career. You tend to step on people's necks long before the final moments. Do you think that affects people can properly appreciate your level of play?

BREANNA STEWART: I don't think I've had enough time to even realize what the performance was or meant. I didn't know it was anything crazy. I guess it's something that you appreciate later and after the season is over. I was just continuing to do what I do.

And that I'm not in that many games at the end of the game, but just continuing to make shots whenever I need to.

Q. You always tend to have your best games on the biggest stage. Obviously in college you were a four-time champion, four-time final MVP, and same thing in 2018. What is it about the big game? Just you get excited for it? What makes you so great on the biggest stage?

BREANNA STEWART: I think I'm definitely excited for the big moment and the big stage. I think also the fact that I expect to be here, and I've been here, whether it's been college, WNBA or USA. Continuing to embrace that moment and take advantage of it. This is why we play basketball. These are the reasons why I play is to have big games, help my team in big moments. That's what I want to continue to do.

Q. I see your shirt and I wanted to ask you about activism today. Can you talk about the importance of fans not only watching the WNBA games but also really understanding your social justice message?

BREANNA STEWART: Yeah, I think that's extremely important. I think for the fans of the WNBA, we don't only want you to watch what we do on the court but what we do off the court and the message that we always want to continue to send in fighting for a better country and a better world and continuing to ask for and fight for equality.

Q. When you have a game like that and Coach said you kind of had that look in your eye that you were going to take over, what goes through your mind, and what are your teammates telling you along the way?

BREANNA STEWART: My teammates are just continuing to kind of support me, and obviously they did a great job of setting me up and getting me in the right spots to make plays. I was just having fun. I was having fun. I was taking what the defense was giving me. The ball was going in the basket, and I hope it stays that way.

Q. I just want to know what gets your competitive drive flowing more, the opportunity to win a championship or playing against the league's Most Valuable Player?

BREANNA STEWART: I'm all about a championship right now. I think that's the main focus. We came here for a reason. It was bigger than us, and obviously continue to amplify the message and show everyone what this league is about on and off the court. But we want to go home with a championship.

Q. You mentioned you were having fun. Was it a little more fun just because you had missed last year and you're back in the Finals after a year-long gap? Did that make it even better for you?

BREANNA STEWART: Yeah. To be back in the Finals, to have missed everything with the WNBA last year, continuing to embrace the moment. Continuing to kind of realize and appreciate how far I've gone as far as rehabbing and getting back to this point and taking advantage of it.