Ralph Freso/Associated Press

Breanna Stewart Injury from Brittney Griner Collision Confirmed as Torn Achilles

Mike Chiari

Dynamo Kursk confirmed Tuesday that reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart suffered a torn Achilles during Sunday's EuroLeague Final Four Championship Game loss to UMMC Ekaterinburg.

The injury occurred during the second quarter when Stewart's foot came down on the foot of five-time WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner while Griner was defending a shot by Stewart.

EuroLeague Women tweeted video of the injury's aftermath:

Stewart is in danger of missing the entire 2019 WNBA season after leading the Seattle Storm to a WNBA championship in 2018.

The 24-year-old Stewart plays professionally in both the WNBA and the EuroLeague like many of the world's top women's basketball players.

Last season, she was named a WNBA All-Star for the second time in her three-year career and averaged 21.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. In addition to being named the regular-season MVP and leading the Storm to a championship, she was named WNBA Finals MVP.

The four-time NCAA champion and four-time NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player at UConn had quickly developed into the WNBA's top player.

Griner may be a close second. The 28-year-old veteran is set to enter her seventh WNBA season with the Phoenix Mercury, and she is coming off a campaign in which she averaged 20.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per contest.

Phoenix fell to Seattle in the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs last season, but with Stewart set to potentially miss all of 2019, the Mercury may be the favorites to win their first championship since 2014.

The 2019 WNBA season begins May 24, and the Mercury will face the Storm in Seattle on May 25.

   

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