Breanna Stewart was one of many favorites to advance in Unmatched’s 1v1 event — the two-time MVP is a flexible scorer and defender and appeared poised to make a run within the single-elimination event.
However, in Monday night time’s first spherical, Stewart was shockingly swept, falling 12-0 to Washington Mystics’ Aaliyah Edwards, who hit a step-back three-pointer for the sport and scored in a mess of the way within the spectacular displaying.
Edwards, contemporary off her rookie season, is Stewart’s Unmatched teammate on the Mist Membership, and whereas she’s had an excellent Unmatched season, few may have predicted she would defeat such a flexible and achieved participant so resoundingly.
After her large loss, Stewart turned to social media to congratulate Edwards: “Powerful night time for me however shoutout to my Mistie @AaliyahEdwards_ !!! Preserve that factor going and go get that bag !!.”
It’s no shock Stewart is being gracious in defeat. WNBA gamers’ willingness to partake within the event confirmed a willingness to be weak and doubtlessly expose themselves to letdown losses on a giant stage.
Alex Bazzell, the president of Unmatched, informed SB Nation in December that when the thought of the 1v1 event was first conceived, he turned to Stewart for her enter.
“Hear, you discuss model threat… I’m like, ‘Properly, let me simply go straight to Stewie and see what she thinks,’” Bazzell mentioned. “She’s like, ‘No, I need to play. I’m uninterested in individuals debating like I’m not the perfect participant.’”
And, although Stewart definitely wished she had had a greater Monday night time to make her level, she now has a monetary curiosity in Edwards advancing. That’s as a result of whereas the winner of Unmatched’s 1v1 event earns the massive $200,000 money prize, every of their Unmatched teammates can also be awarded $10,000.
“There’s nonetheless a crew camaraderie perspective — the place you might be eradicated, however your teammate retains advancing,” Bazzell mentioned. “Inevitably you need to root them on — not only for private causes, but in addition there’s an incentive for you in case your teammate wins the last word money prize.”
The advantages of that prize mannequin are already fairly apparent. Edwards has a bye within the second spherical, so she’ll advance proper to the quarterfinals on Tuesday night time and face the winner of a matchup between Kahleah Copper and Allisha Grey.
Stewart will probably be rooting her on from the sidelines.
