In 2016, Stewart was drafted No. 1 by the Seattle Storm and is currently entering into her fifth year with the team. Ionescu, meanwhile, has yet to meet her new coaches and teammates with the Liberty due to the coronavirus crisis. Ionescu, currently at home in Walnut Creek, California, was practicing at her middle school gym when she was notified of a letter Stewart had written to her before the WNBA draft. “I was honored to be able to see that letter,” Ionescu told Stewart. “It was awesome to get insight on your thought process and how I should be dealing with stuff.” As for advice for Ionescu and other WNBA rookies, Stewart shared, “The biggest piece of advice I could give you is to really enjoy it. I know times are different than they were when I came into the league, because of COVID-19. But try to embrace everything. “Once the league does happen and we get back into it, it’s going to be like a whirlwind. That’s what I remember of my rookie season – everything went so, so fast. Now I look up and I’m going into my fifth year. Just continue to enjoy it and work hard.”
In 2016, Stewart was drafted No. 1 by the Seattle Storm and is currently entering into her fifth year with the team. Ionescu, meanwhile, has yet to meet her new coaches and teammates with the Liberty due to the coronavirus crisis. Ionescu, currently at home in Walnut Creek, California, was practicing at her middle school gym when she was notified of a letter Stewart had written to her before the WNBA draft. “I was honored to be able to see that letter,” Ionescu told Stewart. “It was awesome to get insight on your thought process and how I should be dealing with stuff.” As for advice for Ionescu and other WNBA rookies, Stewart shared, “The biggest piece of advice I could give you is to really enjoy it. I know times are different than they were when I came into the league, because of COVID-19. But try to embrace everything. “Once the league does happen and we get back into it, it’s going to be like a whirlwind. That’s what I remember of my rookie season – everything went so, so fast. Now I look up and I’m going into my fifth year. Just continue to enjoy it and work hard.”