New York Liberty Win Their First Championship in Franchise History!
History has been MADE. An accomplishment almost three decades in the making. After battling it out against the Lynx the New York Liberty win their first championship in franchise history!
It was looking scary at first in game 5 for New York. The Liberty found themselves down and down bad by double digits having to dig themselves out of a hole. However, they do. They are able to erase a 12 point deficit and get back into the game. But the going was still rough and tough.
In a lot of ways, the Liberty won “ugly.” They missed so many opportunities. Missed so many shots they would normally make. Case in point, Sabrina Ionescu shot 1-for-19 and didn’t score until the third quarter. Yikes. And Breanna Stewart was 4-for-15 from the field. Therefore, it looked as though they were going to sloppily shoot themselves in the foot and lose out on a title… again.
Always the bridesmaid and not the bride for so many seasons, the Liberty have finally succeeded in getting the monkey off their backs. New York had appeared in several Finals, but had not been victors in the past. But 2024, the results were different. Champagne baths and confetti falling from heaven; as New York was able to force the game into overtime and beat the Lynx, 62-67.
Liberty owner Clara Wu Tsai called it last year when she said,
“New York hasn’t seen a basketball championship since 1973 and I think this team is ready to bring one home.”
Prophecy fulfilled. Last night, Tsai also says,
“When we bought the team four years ago, they were playing at Westchester County Center to a crowd of 2000. And the first thing we wanted to do was bring the team to Barclays Center so that they could have a bigger stage. And then we wanted to give them facilities and performance and nutrition and everything that they deserved, because they’re such elite professional athletes.
It’s amazing what happens when you have an intention and you put resources and time behind them.”
Preach it sister. May the whole congregation say amen.
New York Liberty Win Their First Championship in Franchise History!
Nevertheless, New York players were almost speechless after their big win. But in time they were able to let the moment sink in and gather together some thoughts. Breanna Stewart states,
“Winning in Seattle was amazing and nothing takes away from that. But to be able to bring the first ever to the Liberty and the first (to New York) in 51 years … my first WNBA game I ever went to was at (Madison Square Garden), was the Liberty, and to have that be full circle was amazing.”
As mentioned above, Stewart did not have her best game, but her teammates had her back. Wanting to see her and Sabrina hoist that trophy for New York. 2024 WNBA Finals MVP Jonquel Jones added,
“When I hugged Stewie, I was sobbing in her ear. I didn’t say one word. I was just crying the whole time,” Jones recalled of a moment Stewart called “picture perfect.” “I’m so happy to win and do it with her. We talked about it so much, about coming together and what we envisioned of what we wanted to do in New York, and what we could do, to be able to pull it off and accomplish a dream. It’s so freaking hard to do. It just means a lot. It means a lot.”
Well put Jones. Well, it’s been a great season. The biggest in WNBA history and we already can’t wait to see what happens next year. But for now, congratulations to the Liberty!
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