Unclear of what the term “stocks” — steals plus blocks — meant until after her performance on June 22, 2024, Breanna Stewart made one thing certain against the L.A. Sparks: in repeatedly rising to the defensive occasion, her stocks, in every sense of the word, were unquestionably up. Possessing one of league history’s all-time great work ethics, Stewart, ahead by 20 in the third, showcases the type of effort that can’t be taught in hopes of helping her teammate survive a 1-on-3 fastbreak struggle. Perfect in timing her leap, Stewart uses her 7-foot-1 wingspan to track down Stephanie Talbot’s layup attempt, sending it into Row 1 with a physical, postseason-like swat. Those types of plays defined one of the future Hall of Famer’s greatest all-around performances during the two-game, three-night sweep of Los Angeles, moving them to a franchise-best 14-3. Giving New York’s stock market an entirely new definition, Stewart was everything and everywhere, checking the box score with 33 points (on 12-of-19 shooting), three rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and six blocks, allowing her to become WNBA history’s first-ever player to record a 20-point, five-assist, five-block half. · Jun 22, 2024