With icons of the franchise such as Teresa Weatherspoon in the arena, celebrities and noted athletes sitting courtside, and excited fans jumping and cheering, the New York Liberty finally put the disappointments of coming up short in their five previous tries in the WNBA Finals behind them. They won their first title since the league’s inception in 1997 with a 67-62 overtime victory over the Minnesota Lynx Sunday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
For Liberty alums, it felt like a collective win. “I was overwhelmed with emotions,” said Trena Trice-Hill, who played for the Liberty, one of the WNBA’s original franchises, in their inaugural season. “It was an exhale to have the Liberty win a championship after 28 years. … It was so refreshing, so remarkable to experience and to celebrate,” she gushed to the AmNews.
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Although Trice-Hill wasn’t able to be attend the game in person, she watched the defining win on television and when she saw former Liberty point guard Weatherspoon — the heart and soul of the team for its first eight seasons — wearing her old No. 11 jersey, she felt her spirit was indeed inside the building.
About 20 former Liberty players have a “legends chat,” and were in communication throughout the game. Even Sue Wicks (Liberty 1997–2002), was texting with the group while courtside. Crystal Robinson, who played for the Liberty from 1999–2005, including during three trips to the WNBA Finals, was watching from home in Oklahoma and says she was so excited after the win that she couldn’t sleep.
“This win meant real tears,” said Robinson. “I love it for the organization and the city. So many times we’ve been on the verge of that feeling and it’s actually great to get to feel that feeling, the enthusiasm and happiness that I feel for those players and pride. … The former Liberty players feel completely connected to this organization.”
After the win, Clara Wu Tsai, who owns the Liberty with husband Joe Tsai, said when you invest in women it pays off. From 2018 to 2021, the team struggled. Under the Tsais’ ownership and with the move to Brooklyn, the team was revitalized. The transformation picked up speed when Sandy Brondello became head coach in 2022. The team again showed the sense of unity it had in its early years.
“They played well together,” said Robinson. “That’s just the New York way. When we played, we played as a unit. It’s very hard in this league to win if you don’t play together, and they did a great job of that.”
Coquese Washington, the head women’s basketball coach at Rutgers University, played two seasons with the Liberty (1998–99) and was also moved by Sunday’s win. “The Liberty will always have a soft spot in my heart because I was there as a rookie,” said Washington, who went on to play with the Houston Comets and Indiana Fever. “Played for a championship. Some of the players on the team are still my really good friends. There’s that camaraderie and sisterhood.” This championship team showed the Liberty heart of the early years. Washington appreciated seeing the enthusiastic fan base just like she remembered.
“Spoon played with such a high degree of passion and intensity,” said Washington, who attended game two of the Finals in person. “You had the fight that was embodied by players like Sue Wicks, Crystal Robinson and Vickie Johnson. You embraced and embodied that New York state of mind. The toughness was always there. When you watch this championship New York Liberty team, you saw it.”
Yvette Hamilton, the Liberty’s chaplain since 2004, described the championship game as epic. “The emotions were indescribable,” said Hamilton. “Times were hard [over the years]. My thing was to uplift spiritually and give them a hope that in those times, they have to persevere and understand that being the best is always an uphill climb. There are always going to be obstacles.” This wasn’t the first WNBA title for Breanna Stewart. She won two with the Seattle Storm, but chose to come to New York in 2023 to help her home state win its first championship. Robinson, who was an assistant coach with the Storm for its 2018 WNBA title, described Stewart as a superstar on the court, but not a superstar personality.
Last year saw the Liberty reach their first WNBA Finals in 21 years. After losing to the Las Vegas Aces, Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot agreed to return to finish the assignment. Joined by Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, they dominated throughout 2024 regular season play and continued that momentum into the playoffs.
“I’ve been manifesting this moment for a while and there’s no feeling like it,” said Stewart. “Credit to Minnesota because they gave us a tough series. The fans have been amazing everywhere we’ve gone, but to be able to bring a championship to New York, the first ever in franchise history, it’s an incredible feeling and I can’t wait to celebrate with the city.”
Both Stewart and Ionescu struggled offensively in game five with Ionescu shooting 1–19. After halftime, Brondello went for a taller lineup and reserve post player Nyara Sabally stepped up in the biggest moment of her professional career, scoring 13 points — matching Stewart and Leonie Fiebich — and pulling down seven rebounds. Only finals MVP Jones scored more points for the Liberty. “It was ugly, but we found a way to win,” said Brondello. “I’m really proud of our team, how resilient we were, how we stuck together, how we continued to trust each other.”