Stewart Wins Second Commissioner's Cup MVP, Jackson Jr. and Martin Looking for New Teams
Breanna Stewart
For the second time in franchise history, the New York Liberty are Commissioner Cup Champions after defeating the Las Vegas Aces 93-85 in Brooklyn on Tuesday night. The Aces were without their four-time MVP Aj’a Wilson due to a leg injury, and two-time MVP Breanna Stewart took advantage. In her fourth career Commissioner’s Cup Championship game appearance, Stewie earned MVP honors after scoring a team-high 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 7-of-9 from the free throw line, along with 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks in 35 minutes. Stewart, who also won the 2021 Commissioner Cup MVP, is the first player in WNBA history to win multiple Commissioner Cup MVP awards.
In the first quarter, Stewart stretched the lead to double-digits after driving from the top of the key and finishing it off with a left-handed layup to extend the Liberty lead to 16-6. A few minutes later, Stewie made it back-to-back Liberty baskets after knocking down an elbow jumper.
Nearly two minutes into the second half, Stewart extended the Liberty's lead to 17, their largest of the game, by driving to the basket and knocking down a nine-foot jumper, giving New York a 55-38 advantage. With under seven minutes to play in the third period, Stewart set a screen, then sealed off Jackie Young, took a stealthy pass from Sabrina Ionescu, and finished the layup while drawing the foul to give the Liberty a 58-43 lead. After that bucket, the Aces ended the third quarter on a 22-4 run and trailed 65-62 heading into the final quarter.
The Aces took their first lead of the game after a Young floater to put Vegas ahead 71-69 just over two and a half minutes into the fourth quarter. On the Liberty’s next possession, Stewart found Pauline Astier for a three-pointer to put New York back in front, 72-71. Just over one minute later, Stewart missed a turnaround jumper but then followed her shot, and she was rewarded as she converted a layup to bring the Liberty to three, 74-71 with 6:13 to play.
The four-time national champion made a few winning plays in the final two-plus minutes as she set up on the low block and finished a layup for an 88-82 Liberty lead. Then with under 20 seconds left, Stewart found Ionsecu, who drilled a deep 3-pointer to put the game away and secure the Liberty's second WNBA Commissioner's Cup title, making them the first franchise to win the event twice.
The Liberty won their first Commissioner's Cup in 2023 against the Aces in Las Vegas, but this one felt even sweeter to Stewart.
"To win our second one, it's special to do it at Barclays with our fans," Stewart said after the game.
Overall, it was Stewart's third career Commissioner's Cup title. She also helped the Seattle Storm win the inaugural tournament in 2021.
The championship victory also means the Liberty won a $500,000 prize pool.
Naphessa Collier/Dorka Juhász Injury Update
Both Naphessa Collier and Dorka Juhász had encouraging days on Wednesday after returning to team practice activities, as both Lynx players have continued to progress as expected. Neither former Husky star has played a game yet this season.
Collier, underwent surgery on both of her ankles this offseason after suffering multiple ankle injuries during the 2025 WNBA season. The two-time national champion missed 11 regular-season games before suffering a Grade 2 tear of three ankle ligaments and a shin muscle after colliding with Alyssa Thomas during Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals against the Phoenix Mercury.
“Feels good to be back,” Coller said after her first practice of the season on Wednesday. “I’m progressing really well. Obviously it’s hard to be out and not with the team… trying to be a player-coach out there for them as best as I can, but definitely feels better to be on the court.”
Dorka Juhász, who is recovering from a foot injury she suffered while playing overseas, is also showing positive signs.
Neither player has a target date to return, but both Collier and Juhasz appear to be progressing in the right direction.. Despite their absences, the Lynx own the best record in the WNBA at 15-4.
Andre Jackson Jr.
Andre Jackson Jr.'s fourth-year, $2.4 million team option was not picked up by the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, making him an unrestricted free agent, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
The Bucks are going through a monster roster overhaul after trading away its franchise player Giannis Antetokounmpo back on June 22nd to the Miami Heat. In the deal, Milwaukee received four players and five future draft picks, including the number 13th overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft. The Bucks selected three new players during last months draft, including Brayden Berries, out of Arizona, with their own 10th pick, Nate Ament, out of Tennessee, with that 13th selection from Miami, and Malique Lewis with the 60th overall pick.
So with seven new players on the roster, along with a new head coach in Taylor Jenkins, changes were inevitable, and Jackson Jr. was one of the odd men out.
Jackson Jr. spent three seasons with the Bucks after being selected 36th overall back in the 2023 NBA Draft. He averaged 2.7 points per game on 44% shooting, including 34.1% from three but only 59.1% from the free throw line. Jackson Jr. also averaged 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists per contest.
After playing 57 games and averaging 10.0 minutes per game in his rookie season, then appearing in 67 games and averaging 14.6 minutes per game in his second year with 43 starts, Jackson Jr. played in just 48 games with one start in his final season in Milwaukee. Despite being healthy, he averaged a career-low 8.1 minutes per contest.
Some of Andre’s best games in Milwaukee include his first career double-double during his rookie season after posting 10 points and 10 rebounds in a 129-118 victory against the Golden State Warriors on January 13th, 2024. He scored a career-high 14 points on November 16th, 2024, in a 115-114 loss to the Charlotte Hornets in his second season.
Tyrese Martin
On Monday, the Philadelphia 76ers did not pick up Tyrese Martin’s two-way qualifying offer and he is now an unrestricted free agent per Phillyvoice.com.
The Allentown, Pennsylvania native played in just nine games with the 76ers and averaged 2.2 points per game with Philadelphia. Martin did play three games with the 76ers' G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, and averaged 31.0 points per game on 53.8% shooting. He also recorded 9.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.7 blocks per contest.
Martin, who has bounced around four different organizations since being selected with the 51st pick of the 2022 NBA draft, played most of this past season with the Brooklyn Nets on a fully guaranteed contract. In 37 games, including six starts, Martin averaged 7.3 points on 39.2% from the field, with a 32.1% clip from behind the arc before he was waived by Brooklyn this past February.
Alex Karaban/Tarris Reed Jr.
Both Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr. will officially begin their professional careers this week when the California Classic kicks off the NBA Summer League season. Reed Jr.’s Spurs will take on the Miami Heat on Friday July 3rd at 8:00pm ET while Karaban’s Kings will face the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday July 4th at 5:00pm ET in each team’s opening game.
Karaban signed his rookie deal yesterday, which is reportedly worth four years for just north of $15 million, including a team option in years three and four of the contract.
There has been no reports on Reed Jr. signing his rookie deal yet.
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