Finally!!! After 28 long, agonizing years of waiting, after 5 unsuccessful trips to the Finals; after bearing the ignominy of being the last original franchise in the league left to have never won a championship; the New York Liberty are WNBA champions at last!
It has certainly been a long frustrating journey for the Liberty, having made five Finals appearances in the past, most recently losing 3-1 to the Las Vegas Aces in last year’s finals. And what a fulfilling and ecstatic feeling it must be, having finally walked the altar as the bride after 5 times as the bridesmaid. Game 5, won by the New York Liberty by the skin of their teeth, in overtime, after trailing with just seconds left in the 4th period, will certainly go down in history as the New York Liberty’s finest moments.
For the city of New York, this was not just the Liberty’s first title ever, it was New York’s first title in a major sport since the New York Giants in the 2011-2012 NFL season. And it featured so many surprises, and twists and turns that drove New York fans and cage aficionados nuts.
Jonquel Jones was named Finals MVP, picking up the slack Brianna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu had left her. For the Lynx, it would have been Napheesa Collier lifting the MVP trophy had Minnesota upset New York in game 5. I had predicted a Bree vs Phee showdown for game 5, with the title going to whichever star would shine brighter. But no, while the Lynx were prepared to limit the outputs of both Bree and that lady Steph Curry, Sabrina, they had no answer for that gentle giant in Jonquel.
I had also predicted that the Lynx’ depth would play a pivotal role in game 5. Instead, it was the Liberty’s strong depth contribution that turned the tide for them, with seldom-used Nyara Sabally scoring 13 points and 7 rebounds off the bench for New York. The Lynx rolled out their proud defensive pedigree, except that the Liberty just had too much offensive talent to unload.
The 2024 WNBA Finals – with 2 games won via overtime and another 2 games decided by last second shots – not only showcased the talent and the grit of both teams, it left fans eagerly anticipating the next season. The Liberty will aim to show the fans that this championship win was no fluke; while the Lynx look to bounce back and reclaim their place at the top of the league.
Given the historic nature that this WNBA season has demonstrated, the 2024 WNBA Finals will go down as a crucial milestone in the trajectory of the WNBA. Kudos must also go to Caitlyn Clark, whose impactful play contributed much to the increased visibility and interest in professional women’s basketball. The momentum from Caitlyn’s popularity and this year’s spectacular Finals series must be embraced and nurtured, so that the league and its players may benefit handsomely from its phenomenal rise to sports prominence.
Cover photo courtesy of Canis Hoopus. Other photos courtesy of The Spun, SportsPro, Fulton Sun, APNews, KSL News, Bleacher Report, Yahoo Sports UKand USA Today. For a closer look, just click on the pics.
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