Geno Auriemma praises Libertys Breanna Stewarts legacy on and off court

LAS VEGAS — UConn coach Geno Auriemma believes what Breanna Stewart has done throughout her career is “groundbreaking.”Stewart is a four-time NCAA champion at UConn, two-time WNBA MVP and three-time WNBA champion with two teams.But it’s her impact off the court that will further define her legacy.

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA.Stewart played a pivotal role in the latest round of collective bargaining agreement negotiations that led to the WNBA’s first million-dollar contract and the first comprehensive revenue-sharing model in professional women’s sports.

She also co-founded Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 basketball league that allows players an opportunity to play stateside during the WNBA offseason.“I’m proud of her because it would be easy to say, ‘Look, I’m a basketball player and that’s it,’ ” Auriemma said Tuesday before Stewart scored 20 points to lead the Liberty to an impressive 87-76 road win over the defending champion Aces .“But I think in today’s world, for the first time in a long time, you saw what happened on the men’s side.

You see, George Foreman became more famous for his grills than he did for his boxing, which is crazy.People don’t remember Shaq playing.

They remember all the things he’s involved in now, and Michael Jordan’s shoes are selling more now than when he played.“But women have never really had that kind of platform and runway to take off and do other things beyond just be excellent on the court.So to have that opportunity and then take advantage of it, I just think it’s groundbreaking.

I know there’s a lot of other people — A’ja Wilson is doing the same thing.”Auriemma will be reunited with Stewart — and several of his former players, including Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers — in two weeks when he comes to New York to be on the broadcast for the Liberty’s July 7 game against th...