It was challenging. It's been a long time coming for this franchise, especially for this group that had to endure some growing pains and adversity. Nonetheless, the New York Liberty are finally—FINALLY—WNBA Champions!
I don't want this post to be about women's sports, where it's been, where it is gone, and what it needs to be. There are way too many outlets that have exhausted that conversation and have let it overshadow simply talkin' hoops. Caitlin Clark probably would agree with that statement as well.
This is about celebrating a franchise that hasn't gotten over that championship hurdle for the entirety of its existence (Hey, Red Bulls - you might be the only one left). This is about a city that lives basketball, and celebrating a professional championship for the first time in almost a half-century. This is about a group of women we got to know over the summers as this team assembled under Sandy Brondello.
From a miserable 2-20 record in 2020 to giving Sabrina Ionescu the keys in 2021, to trading for Jonquel Jones, to signing Breanna Stewart to give it a run at all. All of it was a journey. And everything else that came along with it - the growth in popularity included - was a fun ride.
Below are a few other quick thoughts on this:
- Let's get the obvious out of the way, I too was ready to deal with the heartbreak thinking the Liberty was going to let this opportunity go.
- And really, if they did, I wasn't sure if this team had it in them to make one more run at it.
- Breanna Stewart wasn't fouled. It wasn't a foul. But hey, that's basketball.
- Napheesa Collier is a damn good basketball player.
- The Minnesota Lynx defense is the kind that all coaches dream of. In fact, Coach Thibideau probably cried in Game 5. The Lynx were toughhhhhhhh!
- Speaking of Game 5...I'm looking forward to the WNBA Finals becoming a seven-game series.
- I'm a fan of Sabrina Ionescu, but whew...shooters, shoot. 1-19 is something that goes beyond John Starks in 1994.
- Although, her Game 3 winner is one of my favorite sports moments of the year.
- The kind of performance by Nyara Sabally is the kind of coaching decisions and guts never discussed on sports talk radio. The Liberty won't win if Sabally doesn't come off the bench and replace Benitjah Laney-Hamilton.
- Speaking of unsung heroes, Leonie Fibeich is a gamer.
- Finally, I wasn't able to make it to the parade, but New York Sports is in a really fun place right now.