Breanna Stewart underwent an MRI on her left knee Monday after sustaining an injury late in the New York Liberty’s overtime victory over the Phoenix Mercury, according to an Associated Press source. ESPN first reported the MRI; the AP noted that "Stewart's status for Game 2 on Wednesday of the best-of-three series with the Phoenix Mercury is unknown."

The injury occurred with 3:01 left in overtime when Stewart drove the baseline and was fouled. "The knee appeared to buckle and she went down and grabbed it," reporters observed as trainers rushed to attend to the Liberty’s star forward. New York eked out the opener in extra time, but the celebratory lift was tempered by the uncertainty surrounding its best player.

Stewart is the franchise pivot both on and off the court. Her presence shapes New York’s offensive sets, defensive versatility and the club’s national profile; her sudden doubt ahead of a decisive Game 2 introduces strategic complications for coach Sandy Brondello and forces the Liberty to reconsider rotations and matchups on short notice. If Stewart is limited or unavailable, role players who have been productive in spurts this season will be thrust into sustained high-leverage minutes against a Phoenix team that has thrived in transition and on the perimeter.

Beyond the Xs and Os, the timing has business implications for the WNBA and its broadcast partners. The league’s playoff window, with tightly scheduled series and a compact calendar, increases the stakes of late-game injuries. Networks and sponsors have leaned into the league’s growth trajectory this year — higher ratings, marquee venues and mainstream advertising — and marquee-player absences can materially affect viewership and advertising value, particularly in a short series where every game concentrates attention.

Culturally, Stewart’s injury reverberates beyond box scores. She is a face of contemporary women’s basketball, a player whose visibility has helped normalize WNBA narratives in mainstream sports coverage. An injury at this pivotal moment raises questions about the physical toll elite players shoulder and about how leagues balance competitive urgency with long-term player health. Fans and youth players who look to Stewart as a role model will be keenly attentive to how the team and league manage her recovery.

Stewart’s situation also spotlights broader conversations about roster depth and labor conditions in women’s professional sports. Teams that have invested in deeper benches and player development will be better positioned to absorb the loss of a star; franchises and investors will watch how New York navigates the contingency. The episode may accelerate calls for enhanced medical protocols, scheduling adjustments and greater resources for injury prevention and rehabilitation — all issues that intersect with the WNBA’s ongoing growth and its efforts to solidify commercial momentum.

For now, the immediate focus is medical: the MRI will determine whether Stewart can take the floor in Phoenix on Wednesday. The Liberty have offered little public detail beyond standard updates, and the league has declined additional comment. Whatever the result, the outcome of Game 2 will carry outsized competitive and symbolic weight for the team, the series and the league’s broader moment.