SYDNEY — Team USA captain Breanna Stewart is changing the game in more ways than one.
Widely considered as the best player in women’s basketball, the Seattle Storm star boasts one of the most impressive resumes in the game while she is still very much in her prime.
The two-time WNBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, 2018 regular season MVP, four-time WNBA All-Star and 2016 Rookie of the Year is an undisputed star on the court, but she’s making moves just as big off the court with the release of her first signature sneaker with Puma — the ‘Stewie 1’.
“To be able to have a signature shoe is something that is obviously a huge deal for me, Stewart told The Sporting News at the launch of the ‘Stewie 1’ at Foot Locker in Sydney.
“Something that you dream about as a kid, going into the store and being able to have some kids buy your shoes and want to play like Breanna Stewart or play like Stewie is something that is incredibly special. I hope that there’s gonna be more to come.”
Stewart’s foray into the sneaker world is an opportunity to not only blaze a trail but to tell her story.
“I was really involved in the design process, we started like early 2021 and it was a little bit overwhelming, to be honest, because I didn’t know exactly where to start,” she said.
“But I knew that the special things that I wanted on the shoe was my scar at that, at that time, it was only one and then I had another surgery, so they put two, but making sure that on my shoe, you’re able to see my journey and understand the where I came from what I went through and how I where I am now.”
The ‘Stewie 1’ Quiet Fire delivers an eye-catching neon yellow and black colorway featuring her custom logo on the tongue and insoles, along with a scar graphic that represents her two Achilles surgeries.
The release of the ‘Stewie 1’ is not only a big moment for Stewart but for women’s basketball with her becoming the first WNBA player to release a signature sneaker since Candace Parker in 2011 and the first signature sneaker for a women’s player that Puma has ever released.
As women’s basketball continues to shine the spotlight, Stewart described the landmark moment as ‘extremely important’ for young girls to see, taking pride in making moves that will not inspire, but benefit the next generation.
“Wanting to kind of obviously be a role model to the next generation but also continuing to make sure that the level that women’s basketball is at is only going to continue to grow,” Stewart added.
“The things that I’m getting are going to be the things that the next group is going to get and more and more and more.”
Through the opening week of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, Stewart has been putting in work in her new kicks, powering Team USA to an undefeated 4-0 record ahead of the quarter-finals.
With veterans Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi retiring this season, Stewart — a two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIBA World Champion — has taken the mantle of team captain in Sydney, leading a younger USA squad as they look to make it four-straight gold medals at the World Cup.
“That’s really it, just embracing the idea of being a leader understanding that I have the most experience on this team and making sure that I’m saying what needs to be said and using my previous World Cups and previous Olympics to make a difference and help these players as much as I can.”
Team USA will continue their push towards gold when they take on Serbia in the quarter-finals, on Thursday, September 29.
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