Stewart suffered a bone bruise in her right knee early into New York's 101-99 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on July 26. Once the severity of the injury was known, head coach Sandy Brondello pegged late August as a tentative timeline for when she'd be in the lineup again.

She'll turn 31 years old on her birthday, still near the peak of her powers. Stewart is one of the best winners in the history of sports, from Cicero-North Syracuse High School to the University of Connecticut and then on to the Seattle Storm and New York Liberty in the WNBA.

New York Liberty star forward Breanna Stewart is bidding to return to the court before her 31st birthday. That's Aug. 27, if you're counting the days or planning to send a card. The two-time WNBA MVP sustained a bone bruise in her right knee during New York's 101-99 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on July 26.