The New York Liberty claimed their first WNBA championship in franchise history with a thrilling 67-62 overtime victory over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals. This historic win at Barclays Center marked the culmination of a 27-year journey for the Liberty, one of the league’s original teams.
Jonquel Jones led the Liberty with 17 points and earned Finals MVP honors. Despite struggles from stars Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, key contributions came from role players like Leonie Fiebich, who opened overtime with a crucial 3-pointer, and Nyara Sabally, whose steal and layup helped secure the win.
Stewart, who had been manifesting this moment, expressed her excitement: “To bring a championship to New York, first ever in franchise history, it’s an incredible feeling.” The victory also marked redemption for Stewart, who missed a potential game-winning free throw in Game 1 but calmly hit crucial free throws in OT to seal the title.
The Lynx, led by Napheesa Collier with 22 points, pushed the series to the limit but fell short of securing a record fifth WNBA title. Collier fouled out late in OT, and Minnesota missed all six of their field-goal attempts in the extra period.
This victory was particularly meaningful for Liberty fans and legends in attendance, including Teresa Weatherspoon. The sellout crowd of 18,090 set attendance records, capping off a record-breaking season for the league, with high viewership and dramatic, closely contested games.
