When thinking of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, unfortunately, our first thoughts tend to lean toward former NBA players. This obviously excludes great college players, overseas players and often overlooked, WOMEN! Look no further than the WNBA’s own Breanna Stewart.
The criteria for entering the Hall of Fame seems absolutely clear for some inductees, while the lines seem blurred for others. Make no mistake about it, at 24 years of age, Breanna Stewart should be a Hall of Fame lock.
✔️ 21.8 ppg
✔️ 8.4 rpg
✔️ 1.4 spg
✔️ 1.4 bpg
✔️ MVP
✔️ WNBA Champ
✔️ Finals MVPCongrats @breannastewart on one hell of a season! pic.twitter.com/CjgJfTfJX4
— Basketball Society (@BBallSociety_) September 13, 2018
On Wednesday, September 12, 2018, Stewart captured her first WNBA title. In the Game 3 closeout, she tallied 30 points on 50% shooting from the field. Her four made three-pointers, along with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals displays her versatility and aggressiveness. With this being her third WNBA season, Stewart quickly adds a Finals victory, Finals MVP and regular season MVP to her already decorated resume.
Breanna Stewart has been named 2018 WNBA Finals MVP. Add it to her resume:
2018 WNBA MVP
WNBA Rookie of the Year
2 WNBA All-Star Games
4 NCAA Championships
4 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player Awards pic.twitter.com/lGpagd0rHs— SLAM (@SLAMonline) September 13, 2018
To win four consecutive NCAA championships with Most Outstanding Player Awards to tag next to each of them is unfathomable. Sheer dominance over a period of time seems to be the standard for Hall of Fame consideration. With that said, winning on multiple levels and being dominant while accomplishing that feat brings on legendary status.
We must continue to acknowledge these inspiring women and applaud their contributions to the game of basketball, both on and off the court. We’ve seen some of the best women players of all time get the appropriate recognition. Look out, we’ve got another one coming on our hands.