Reigning national player of the year Breanna Stewart was happy to leave part of her footwear behind when she headed to New York for the American Athletic Conference women's basketball media day.

Stewart has been bothered by soreness in a bone under the ball of her left foot. It hasn't caused her to miss any practice time but she has been wearing a protective boot.

"It is something that has been bothering me in my foot, it is not anything serious,' said Stewart, who was named the AAC's Preseason Player of the Year. "I am in the boot because it takes the pressure off walking on that part of my foot but I am still practicing and going through everything."

Stewart doesn't recall what caused the pain.

"I am not sure if it was practice," Stewart said. "It is hard because the season starts. They said I can play on it so I am going to play on it. It is just a thing where you rehab it, you stay off of it, you are not trying to put as much pressure on it.

"I am in the boot because they think it is smart. It is a precaution and then my left shoe doesn't really get dirty."