Breanna Stewart Signs Turkey Deal With WNBA in Flux
Breanna Stewart is headed abroad again in April, timing her return to the court just weeks before the 2026 WNBA season is set to begin.
The two-time WNBA MVP agreed to rejoin Fenerbahçe, the Turkish powerhouse, for the EuroLeague Women Final Six in mid-April, the club announced on Monday. Stewart previously played for Fenerbahçe during the 2022–23 season, which marked her most recent stint overseas.
This move will reunite her with 2025 New York Liberty teammate Emma Meesseman, along with a number of other WNBA veterans who competed last season, including Gabby Williams, Iliana Rupert, Sevgi Uzun, and Julie Allemand. Minnesota Lynx standout Kayla McBride, who was with Fenerbahçe earlier this season, is also part of the squad, though she suffered a right quad injury in January.
Right now, Stewart is competing with The Mist at Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 league she co-founded. The Unrivaled season wraps up on March 4. Fenerbahçe’s press release notes that the 31-year-old forward will join the club in time for the EuroLeague Women Final Six, scheduled for April 15–19.
This development shines a spotlight on the WNBA’s priority rule, which requires players to report to training camps on time even if they have international commitments. Under the current rule, Stewart would not face penalties. Training camps begin on April 19, and players must report by May 1 to avoid punishment. However, this rule is under negotiation and could be adjusted as part of the ongoing collective bargaining talks. Additionally, Stewart, like most WNBA veterans, will enter free agency once a new CBA is finalized.
Stewart serves as a vice president of the WNBPA. Sources previously indicated to FOS that a CBA agreement between the league and the players’ association needed to be reached soon to ensure a timely start to the season.
If a new CBA is ratified, the WNBA would still require substantial lead time to process free agency, an expansion draft, and the rookie draft before tipping off. The season is currently slated to begin on May 8, with a remaining 81 days on the calendar.
Stewart told FOS last month that she was already seeing “movement” toward a resolution between the WNBA and the players’ union on a new CBA.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged the CBA negotiations during NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. “What I’d like to do is put pressure on everyone,” Silver said at his annual news conference. “Often, things get done at the 11th hour. We’re approaching the 11th hour in bargaining.” Silver noted he hasn’t sat at the negotiating table himself but remains encouraged by the recent dialogue. The NBA owns roughly 42% of the WNBA, with NBA owners holding significant stakes in the remaining 58%.
And this is where it gets controversial: how should leagues balance star players’ desires to play overseas with the calendar and bargaining power of the union? Do you think the current framework adequately protects players’ freedom to compete internationally while keeping the WNBA season on track? Share your thoughts in the comments.
