The Liberty advance to WNBA Finals for the first time since 2002
It’s been a long road for the New York Liberty, one of the WNBA’s original franchises. The team has struggled in recent years. There have been losing seasons, injuries, an ownership change and plenty of frustration. That ended on Sunday afternoon when the Liberty defeated the Connecticut Sun 87–84 to advance to the WNBA Finals for the first time in 21 years.
The Liberty’s identity changed this year when three of the WNBA’s brightest lights decided to shine their talents on the Empire State. Two WNBA MVPs, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart (who earned MVP honors again this year), decided to make Brooklyn their home, joined by one of the league’s sharpest guards, Courtney Vandersloot. Their talents combined with returning Liberty standouts Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney have brought the sweet smell of success.
“I’m so happy right now,” said Laney. “I’ve got a few days where I can just enjoy this moment, and then the work starts. We’re not satisfied.”
Coach Sandy Brondello, who is in her second season in New York, took a moment to reflect after the Liberty secured the trip to the Finals. “We work a lot on our culture, and I think you can see we’re connected,” she said. “When you have connection, you have commitment and these girls are committed to each other, this program, and how we want to play.”
The Liberty will face the defending WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces in the Finals. These have been the top two teams in the league all year. Finals action begins on Sunday in Las Vegas. Game three of the best-of-five series will be Oct. 15 at Barclays Center.
The Liberty’s last championship series ended with a devastating three-point shot by Nikki Teasley of the Los Angeles Sparks, who secured her team’s second championship. It’s been a long road back, but one that means so much to longtime fans and also to the players who took on the challenge to return this team to dominant form.
“I’ve processed it in the fact that we’re going to the Finals because we’re going after a championship,” said Stewart, who won WNBA titles with the Seattle Storm in 2018 and 2020. “But the fact that the Liberty hasn’t been to a Finals since 2002 is wild. To be able to have that and know that we have the entire city behind us is something that’s really, really special.”
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