Last week, we wrote about Breanna Stewart breaking the WNBA's single-season scoring record. A week later, Jewell Loyd claimed that record for herself.
Prior to the Seattle Storm's final regular season game on Sunday, Loyd needed nine points to overtake Stewart's 919 points scored in 2023, which set the single-season record on Sept. 5. Loyd finished the game with 28 points — concluding her 2023 regular season with 939 points total. Loyd managed to reach that total in 38 games, while Stewart got her 919 in 40.
Loyd claimed the WNBA scoring crown within the first four minutes of Sunday's game upon nailing a 3-pointer at the 6:33 mark. She seemed nonchalant upon initially hitting the three, high-fiving teammates with a straight face after a timeout on the floor was called. Once she got back to the Storm's bench, however, Loyd celebrated the record-setting moment with a huge smile.
After the game, Loyd — who signed a two-year "supermax" contract extension with Seattle before Sunday's game — was asked by The Seattle Times what breaking the scoring record meant to her.
"That wasn't a goal of mine at all coming into the season," Loyd said. "Even hearing about it and talking about it, it never was a goal of mine. It kind of just happened naturally. I think it's pretty cool. What I miss, (two) games and still was able to produce the way I was producing, so that's pretty cool."
Loyd's record-setting season was the lone bright spot for the Seattle Storm. After losing Sunday's contest to the Los Angeles Sparks 91-89, they finished the year on a four-game losing streak and with an 11-29 overall record — including 4-16 at home. Considering the the Storm's loyal supporters haven't had much to cheer about all season, they must have been stoked to see Loyd break the record on their home court.
Another intriguing aspect of Loyd's performance was whom she claimed the scoring crown from. Stewart and Loyd were former teammates, as Stewart played her first six seasons for Seattle (the Storm selected her with the first overall pick in the 2016 WNBA draft) before heading to the New York Liberty as a free agent this past offseason.
The two were tightknit throughout their shared time in Seattle; the Storm selected Loyd as the first overall pick in 2015, one year before Stewart. But with Loyd's competitive instinct, she must enjoy beating her former teammate — even if she'd never admit it out loud. But Stewart — whose Liberty is a favorite to win the 2023 WNBA championship — might have the last laugh.
