Breanna Stewart opened up about what representing Team USA still means to her as the Americans prepare for a World Cup quarterfinal against Hungary.
Breanna Stewart's run with USA Basketball started in 2009, at the U16 level, when she was 14. Seventeen years later, she is the captain of a United States team that meets Hungary in a FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup quarterfinal on Thursday in Berlin.
Stewart is chasing a fifth straight World Cup title for the Americans and a fourth of her own.
"It feels great," Stewart told OutKick. "I think that any time I can represent Team USA I want to. I've had the incredible opportunity of being able to do it for a long time and since I was really young, and every time I get the call I want to show up."
Stewart, 32, has three Olympic gold medals, three World Cup titles, and was MVP of the 2018 World Cup. Berlin marks her fourth World Cup appearance. Only Sue Bird (five) and Diana Taurasi (four) have made more appearances among American women.
Breanna Stewart Leads USA Into World Cup Quarterfinals
The Americans swept Group D, opening on Sept. 4 at Max-Schmeling-Halle with a 94-61 win over China. Stewart scored 7 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.
Two days later, they got past Italy 55-52. The United States shot 29% from the field and 1-of-12 from 3-point range. Stewart had 5 points and a team-high 11 rebounds.
Monday's 105-64 win over Czechia saw Stewart score 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists in 17 minutes, with efficient shooting. FIBA named her Player of the Game. All 12 Americans scored, with six in double figures.
Stewart said the veterans wanted to take Monday into their own hands and lead by example.
"I think [after the Italy game], we took accountability of what happened," Stewart explained. "I wanted to make sure that everybody knew that today's a new day. There's an opportunity to really impact the game in a number of ways and this was our last learning opportunity and test before we go forward into the knockout rounds."
Through three games, Stewart is averaging 10.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.
Stewart Moves Up World Cup Record Book
The Czechia result marked the 33rd straight World Cup win for the United States, starting with the bronze-medal game in 2006 after losing to Russia in the semifinals.
Stewart has been on the floor for 23 of those wins, matching Latvia's Skaidrite Smildzina. Only Uljana Semjonova, at 27, has won more in a row.
United States coach Kara Lawson is in her first global championship since succeeding Cheryl Reeve. A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum withdrew days before the tournament for health reasons, and Washington teammates Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen took the roster spots.
Against China, Lawson started the five players on the roster who won gold in Paris in 2024: Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Kahleah Copper, Napheesa Collier, and Stewart.
The WNBA paused its regular season Aug. 31 for the tournament. Stewart praised Cathy Engelbert's legacy after the commissioner announced she is stepping down. Collier's Minnesota club added Aari McDonald before the playoffs.
United States Draws Hungary in Quarterfinals
Hungary is at the World Cup for the first time since 1998 and in the quarterfinals for the first time in 40 years.
France beat the Hungarians in the group opener. Wins over Nigeria, South Korea, and Japan followed, the last of them an 84-63 result Tuesday in the qualification round.
Tip-off in Berlin is at 5:30 a.m. ET Thursday on TNT, streaming on Courtside 1891 and HBO Max.
The semifinals are Sept. 12, and the final is Sept. 13. WNBA play resumes Sept. 17. The regular season ends Sept. 24, with playoffs starting Sept. 27.
