After losing last year’s WNBA Finals to the Las Vegas Aces, the New York Liberty beat the Minnesota Lynx in a five-game series for its first-ever WNBA championship.
Finally, after four previous attempts at the title, the Liberty hoisted the championship trophy in their home area, the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, after beating the Minnesota Lynx, 67-62, in overtime Sunday.
The Lynx were stopped from obtaining their fifth WNBA title, which would have been the most in league history. Currently, the franchise is tied with the Seattle Storm and the now-defunct Houston Comets.
“I’ve been manifesting this moment for a while; There’s no feeling like it,”
Liberty star Breanna Stewart said. “Credit to Minnesota. They gave us a tough series. The fans have been amazing everywhere we’ve gone. To bring a championship to New York, the first ever in franchise history, it’s an incredible feeling. I can’t wait to continue to celebrate with the city. It’s going to be bonkers.”Jonquel Jones, who averaged 17.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, was named the series’ Most Valuable Player.
For the first time since 2019, the championship went down to the final game. The WNBA switched to a best-of-five format in 2005 but will expand to best-of-seven next season.
“Congratulations to the Liberty on their first championship,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. “It took them 28 years, congrats to them. We were that close to our fifth. It just didn’t happen.”
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