In today’s episode of the Late Sub, host Claire Watkins breaks down the USWNT and their 3-1 win over Iceland, including shouting out the match's top performers before examining where the US could still improve. Plus, Watkins chats about how head coach Emma Hayes is continuing to put her stamp on the team.
Then, Watkins gives her take on the Chicago Red Stars' rebrand, and how the NWSL is shedding some of its history in a bid toward the future.
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
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Welcome back to Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie!
In today's episode, our hosts recap the 2024 WNBA Finals, including the officiating controversy. Lisa also breaks down a similar situation from her playing days.
"You feel like it was stolen from you," Leslie explained. "It felt like the exact same thing, that they could be really physical with us. We go down and just touch and it was a foul. It felt like they were just taking this game from us, so I get it. I understand it. But what do you have to do? Suck it up, buttercup."
"One of the things I know is that the officials do they best job that they can do," she added. "It is a thankless job."
Then, Kelley and Lisa chat about Kelley's Gotham FC retirement celebration before diving into who can grab the final two NWSL playoff spots. Plus, Lisa learns all about soccer's nonstop schedule, and much more!
Coming off the success of JWS's Olympic commentary show The Gold Standard, Fast Friends features two legendary athletes serving up insider insights and unique takes on the biggest stories in women's sports every week.
Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.
In today’s episode of the Late Sub, host Claire Watkins goes long on the epic final game that saw the New York Liberty clinch their first-ever WNBA title. Breaking down defense, officiating, rotations, and a little bit of luck, Watkins wraps up this monumental W season.
Later, Watkins offers up a quick wish list of what she’d like to see from the final NWSL regular-season weekend as teams tune up for the 2024 playoffs.
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
Capping their sixth WNBA Finals campaign, the New York Liberty earned their first-ever championship in Sunday’s 67-62 winner-take-all overtime thriller.
As the last original WNBA franchise still playing to book a title, the Libs — who won the league’s inaugural game in 1997 — lifted the WNBA’s 28th trophy in front of a record-breaking sellout home crowd in Brooklyn.
"It means everything to me," said New York star Breanna Stewart, who grew up in Syracuse and attended Liberty games as a kid. "I wanted to come here and I wanted to be the first."
"I can't wait to continue to celebrate with the city," Stewart said after the game. "It's going to be bonkers."
The path to the WNBA Championship
Fueled by last year’s disappointing championship loss to the Las Vegas Aces, New York led the league in the regular season with an impressive franchise-tying record of 32-8.
After sweeping the Atlanta Dream in the first round, New York redemptively ousted the Aces in four semifinals games. The Liberty's Finals foe was the only team to defeat them multiple times this year — 2024 Commissioners Cup winners Minnesota.
In what was arguably the most competitive series to date, the 2024 Finals were marked by record-setting come-from-behind wins, game-winning shots seemingly scripted in Hollywood, and, after offensive power in the first four tilts, a defensive masterclass in the deciding Game 5.
Liberty stars show out in Championship win
Behind her team-leading 17-point, six-rebound Game 5 performance, Jonquel Jones earned the Finals MVP crown.
"I could never dream of this," said Jones after the game. "You know how many times I've been denied, it was delayed. I am so happy to do it here."
Co-signed by the Barclays Center crowd chanting her name, the championship-clinching game’s unofficial sixth player was Nyara Sabally. In her biggest showing ever in a Liberty uniform, Sabally’s spark off the bench added 13 clutch points and seven rebounds to New York’s total.
Minnesota’s defense did a lot to stifle the Liberty, holding New York to a 10-point first quarter — their most dismal opening all year. The Lynx also kept New York shooters to just two-for-23 from behind the arc.
A large part of suppressing the Libs came from Minnesota’s success in keeping New York’s Game 3 heroes Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu decidedly quiet on Sunday, smothering their respective efforts to 4-for-15 and 1-for-19 from the field.
Despite their offensive struggles, both contributed elsewhere. Ionescu added eight assists and seven rebounds to her five points and Stewart showed out on defense with 15 rebounds alongside her 13 points.
New York’s gritty 7-2 overtime run ultimately put the game out of Minnesota's reach. Lynx star Napheesa Collier, who posted an historic playoff run, fouled out in the game’s final seconds.
Lynx coach Reeve slams officiating in Finals loss
After the loss, Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve had words for the officials that kept the Lynx from clinching in regulation play.
In a game that saw New York outshoot the Lynx 25-8 from the free throw line, the Lynx unsuccessfully challenged a controversial shooting foul called on Alanna Smith at the end of regulation. That ruling gave New York's Stewart the pair of free throws that sent the game into overtime.
"I know all the headlines will be 'Reeve cries foul,'" she told reporters. "Bring it on. Bring it on. Because this s--- was stolen from us."
"If we would have turned that clip in, they would have told us that it was marginal contact, no foul. Guaranteed. Guaranteed," Reeve remarked.
Notably, complaints about officiating and lopsided foul calls have been raised throughout the Finals. And not just from Reeve, who also spoke on the disparity after Game 3.
New York head coach Sandy Brondello made the same plea after Friday’s Game 4 saw foul calls favor Minnesota, saying "I know Cheryl talked about it last time, but we got no calls today... All we want is fair, OK. So if we are getting hit, that’s a foul."
Ultimately, while acknowledging Minnesota's disappointment, Reeve's appeal focused on the need for fair calls to ensure fair play. "This is for a championship," Reeve said. "For both teams, let [the players] decide it."
"This s--- ain’t that hard,” she added. “Officiating, it’s not that hard."
Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu became New York's hero on Wednesday, sinking a 28-foot buzzer-beating logo three to notch the WNBA Finals Game 3 win.
The bucket silenced Minnesota's 19,521 record-breaking home crowd and securing a 2-1 series advantage over the Lynx.
“Definitely the biggest shot of my career,” Ionescu said post-game. “And, hopefully, not the last.”
The most-watched Finals game in 23 years was defined by dramatic momentum swings. The Liberty flipped the script on their Game 1 loss, with Ionescu overcoming a tough shooting night to avoid another overtime finish.
The first half saw Minnesota lead by as many as 15 points. But New York superstar Breanna Stewart's monster 30-point, 11-rebound double-double boosted the Libs to the tight 80-77 victory.
In total, the Liberty only led for 2 minutes and 19 seconds on Wednesday, the second-shortest amount of lead time for a winning team in an WNBA Finals game.
"Obviously, Stewie got us back in there," Liberty coach Sandy Brondello remarked after the game. "But I thought, '[at] the right time, this is Sabrina.' She's a great shooter. What I love about her is that she backs herself. Not everyone can take those big shots and make them. She can."
Can New York go all the way tonight?
In their sixth WNBA Finals trip, the Liberty are on the brink of clinching their first-ever championship this evening — assuming they avoid a winner-take-all Game 5 in Brooklyn on Sunday.
"Just knowing that we're one win away, that's what's the most motivating," Stewart said on Thursday. "The fact that we have an opportunity to finish this thing tomorrow night."
On the flip side, this is Minnesota's last chance to turn things around. Tonight's Game 4 is now a must-win for the Lynx, who are in danger of falling short of what would be a WNBA record-setting fifth league title. Battling back from a 2-1 series deficit isn't an impossible feat, having been done four previous times in WNBA Finals history, including by Minnesota in 2017.
"It's win or go home at this point," Lynx star Napheesa Collier told reporters. "So we have to come in with the mindset that we’re going to be just as aggressive and then just have faith in that we're going to execute better down the stretch."
How to watch Liberty vs. Lynx in Game 4 of the 2024 WNBA Finals
New York and Minnesota will tip off Game 4 of the 2024 WNBA Finals at 8 PM ET Friday. Live coverage will air on ESPN.
In today’s episode, host Claire Watkins runs down the October roster for the USWNT, discussing comments from head coach Emma Hayes that lays out her vision for the team's long preparation ahead of the 2027 Women's World Cup.
Later, Watkins marvels at yet another incredible 2024 WNBA Finals showdown, as the Liberty take a crucial 2-1 series advantage in their search for the franchise's first WNBA Championship title.
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
Welcome back to Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie!
In today's episode, our hosts chat through the all-tied-up WNBA Finals, including the Liberty's Game 1 collapse, Game 2's response, and what the Lynx can do to snag a win at home.
Calling Game 1 "silk slipping through the fingers," Leslie said much of New York's implosion came because "the Liberty have some really silly turnovers."
Then, Kelley and Lisa talk all things NWSL, from the Portland Thorns getting back on track to Temwa Chawinga's record-setting goal to Bay FC's playoff chances and much more!
Coming off the success of JWS's Olympic commentary show The Gold Standard, Fast Friends features two legendary athletes serving up insider insights and unique takes on the biggest stories in women's sports every week.
Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.
In today’s episode, host Claire Watkins talks through whether she needs to amend her 2024 WNBA Finals prediction, and notes both the resiliency of the Lynx and the mentality of the Liberty.
She then hits all the major storylines of the NWSL weekend action, including broken individual NWSL records, streaks both snapped and saved, playoff spots clinched and lost, and off the field happenings that shape the larger NWSL conversation.
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
After their Game 1 implosion, New York successfully held off Minnesota 80-66 in Sunday's Game 2 to bring the best-of-five 2024 WNBA Finals to an even 1-1 split.
The Lynx threatened a repeat come-from-behind victory by chipping away at the Liberty's 17-point lead, shrinking it to just two points in the fourth quarter.
However, New York's defense stepped up, limiting Minnesota's Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams to just 16 and 15 points, respectively. The Liberty also forced an uncharacteristic seven turnovers from 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Collier.
Stewart, Laney-Hamilton lead Liberty
Both two-time MVP Breanna Stewart and teammate Betnijah Laney-Hamilton had statement performances in Game 2.
Laney-Hamilton tied her scoring season-high by dropping 20 points in just her second double-digit showing this postseason. The feat is particularly impressive in light of the her July knee surgery which forced her to miss 12 games.
“To see a glimpse of what I’m capable of, it felt really good,” Laney-Hamilton told reporters after Sunday's game.
As for Stewart, she topped New York's stat sheet with 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and set a Finals single-game record with seven steals.
Liberty guard Courtney Vandersloot summed up Stewart's Game 2 performance, saying "she was all over the floor, just wreaking havoc on everything, was in the gaps, and making things hard [for Minnesota]."
"When you have your best player, your leader, playing as hard as she does, night in and night out and impacting the game in different ways — not just scoring and rebounding," explained Vandersloot, "it's a big motivator for everybody and she sets the standard for us."
2024 WNBA Finals continue breaking records
Sunday's Game 2 brought a record 18,046 fans to Brooklyn's Barclays Center, the largest Liberty crowd at the venue since the franchise moved there full time in 2021.
Even more, just days after Game 1 set a new viewership record, Sunday's matchup surpassed those numbers, becoming the most viewed Finals game in WNBA history. An average of 1.34 million viewers tuned in, peaking at 1.82 million — a 115% increase over last year's Game 2.
How to watch the Liberty vs. the Lynx in Game 3 of the 2024 WNBA Finals
The series now moves to Minneapolis, with Game 3 tipping off Wednesday at 8 PM ET. Live coverage will air on ESPN.
In a battle between the top two regular-season finishers, the Minnesota Lynx will travel to Brooklyn to play the New York Liberty in the first game of the best-of-five 2024 WNBA Finals on Thursday.
Former UConn teammates and 2024 Olympic gold medalists Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier headline the matchup. Stewart's top-seeded Liberty will look to earn their first-ever WNBA title in their sixth Finals appearance.
Collier and the new-look Lynx are bringing a former dynasty back to the biggest stage, in the team's first finals appearance since their 2017 championship.
The road to the 2024 WNBA Finals
After topping the league in the regular season with a 32-8 record, New York put the No. 8-seed Atlanta Dream's season to bed in the first playoff round. To reach the 2024 Finals, the Liberty avenged their 2023 championship series, ousting Las Vegas and ending the two-time defending champs' three-peat chase in four semifinal games.
As for the Lynx, Minnesota claimed second in the regular season standings, just two wins shy of matching New York's record. They sent the Phoenix Mercury packing by sweeping the first round, but needed all five semifinal games to outlast the Connecticut Sun and book their seventh trip to Finals.
Liberty's title mission meets Lynx's underdogs
The Liberty and Lynx aren't just the league's top teams. They led the East and West Conferences, respectively, and boast the WNBA's top offense (New York) and second-best defense (Minnesota).
That said, the 2024 WNBA Finals will pit a superstar-laden Liberty squad against a Minnesota team that few thought would even make the postseason when play began this year.
Alongside two-time MVP Stewart, New York's squad includes 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones, sharpshooter Sabrina Ionescu, and a frighteningly deep bench.
On the other hand, only five players, including 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Collier, returned from Minnesota's 2023 team. Lynx boss Cheryl Reeve, the 2024 Coach of the Year, added key athletes to Minnesota's originally slim roster, including three — Courtney Williams, Bridget Carleton, and Alanna Smith — who were cut from various other WNBA teams in 2021 or 2022. All have made significant contributions as the Lynx proved early season expectations wrong.
"We didn't scare anybody," Reeve said after winning Tuesday's Game 5. "I'm not sure that anybody at any point in the season was like, 'Yeah, they have a real shot at winning a championship' other than the people that are in our corner. And I think we're continuing to have to make believers."
An historic WNBA Finals on deck
Entering the Finals, sports books heavily favor the Liberty, but the Lynx actually hold a 3-1 record against New York in 2024. That edge includes Minnesota's 94-89 victory over the Liberty in June 25th's Commissioners Cup final.
No matter who walks away with the 2024 championship, WNBA history will be made. Either the Liberty will claim their first title, or Minnesota will become the first franchise to win five championships. The Lynx are currently tied at four titles with the Seattle Storm and the folded Houston Comets.
How to watch the Lynx vs. the Liberty in Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals
The Lynx and Liberty will tip off at Brooklyn's Barclays Center at 8 PM ET on Thursday, with live broadcast and streaming coverage on ESPN.