Brian Agler Sees Some Similarities In Both Breanna Stewart And Lauren Jackson
The Seattle Storm are currently 9-1 and on a seven game winning streak heading into Sunday’s game against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday. A big reason why they currently hold the best record in the WNBA is because of Breanna Stewart, who returned earlier this season after missing last season with a ruptured Achilles tendon in her right leg.
This season the 2018 Finals MVP is averaging 18.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and a career high in assists with 3.5 through the first ten games. Since entering the league, Stewart has drawn comparison to another Storm great Lauren Jackson. Jackson not only left her mark on the Storm’s organization by becoming the first player in franchise history to have her jersey retire, but on women’s basketball as a whole.
During her 12 seasons in the WNBA, she racked up three MVP awards, seven All-Star appearances and won the Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. She is also a two-time WNBA Champion with the Storm in 2004-10.
Stewart is making a name for herself as well in a Storm’s uniform as in just her fourth year in the league, she already been named an All-Star twice, WNBA MVP in 2018, and was named the Finals MVP in 2018.
Stewart’s former coach, Jenny Boucek, who also coached Jackson recently shared that Breanna Stewart is starting to enter into the same conversation as Lauren Jackson. That’s high praise from Boucek. Since, she has stated in the past, that Jackson was the greatest player she ever coached.
“Stewie is still young, but she is now entering that conversation along the lines of Lauren Jackson. Where if she is healthy and on the floor, your team has a chance to win a championship. That’s how good she is and so, they get her back healthy, which it sounds like she is and I know she has been extremely dedicated to top-notch rehab and sport science. I know the woman that she has been working with, so I know she has had the very best care,” said Boucek.
Stewart was appreciative of Boucek’s praise and will always remember her as her first coach in the WNBA. Boucek is now an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks.
“I appreciate the nice remarks from Jenny [Boucek] for sure. I will always remember her as my first coach in the league and I’m happy to be back,” said Stewart. Happy to continue to kind of make my mark in this league and make the best career possible that I can.”
After the Storm beat the Dallas Wings 85-63 on Friday, former Storm’s coach Brian Agler was asked if agreed with his former assistant coach, Jenny Boucek in terms of Stewart entering the same conversation as Lauren Jackson. Agler coached Jackson from 2008-12, but hasn’t had coached Stewart.
“We will see how this will play out, but obviously Lauren [Jackson] was one heck of a player. I think a three-time MVP, Defensive Player of the Year a couple of times. Won two championships, so Jenny [Boucek] knows. Jenny has coached both of them, so she would know better than I. I have not coached Breanna [Stewart], but I can tell you, Breanna is extremely talented. Would it surprise me if she accomplished those things? said Agler.
“It I would not surprise me she has that ability. Now, will it happen, I don’t know that she is very gifted. They are not the same player cause Lauren [Jackson] was a little bigger, more defensively around the rim type defender. Breanna is more of a ball in the hand face the basket type of player.”
“Both can shoot the three point shot exceptionally well, and I don’t know the temperament of Breanna. I watch her play and she is very competitive and smart, and Lauren Jackson was a great competitor. She is very competitive and there are some similarities there,” he shared.
The Storm and Sun play at 3 pm EST on Sunday afternoon on ABC.
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