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.
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.
After trailing by as many as 18 points in the first half, the Minnesota Lynx stormed back to a 95-93 overtime win in Brooklyn on Thursday to steal Game 1 of the WNBA finals on the road. Minnesota's return from 18 points down ties the greatest comeback in WNBA history, ironically first set by the Liberty in Game 2 of the 1999 finals.
The Liberty came out swinging early in front of a raucous Barclays Center crowd, scoring 32 points in the first quarter as the Lynx suddenly found themselves in danger of becoming overwhelmed. But Minnesota kept chipping away at the lead, reducing New York's advantage to single digits at halftime.
As the teams traded runs in the second half, it appeared as if New York would to be able to hold off a late charge by the Lynx, leading by 15 points with 5:20 remaining in the game. But once again, Minnesota remained calm and went on a run of their own.
"I think it defines our team in terms of being able to get through difficult times," Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said after the game. "That's what we are talking about: You have to be mentally tough and resilient."
Guard Courtney Williams made the four-point play to give Minnesota an unlikely one-point lead with seconds remaining, and Breanna Stewart split two free throws to send the game into overtime.
After a slow start to the overtime period, Lynx star Napheesa Collier's final midrange jumper proved to be the difference, sending Minnesota into Game 2 with a 1-0 advantage. The Lynx are the first team in WNBA postseason history to win a game after trailing by 15+ points in the final five minutes of regulation in 184 games.
New York center Jonquel Jones led all scorers with 24 points, but Minnesota got the most out of the trio of Collier (21 points), Williams (23 points), and Kayla McBride (22 points).
New York's chance to bounce back
The Liberty are now 0-6 in Game 1 of the WNBA finals, and will try to bounce back in Game 2 on Sunday at 3pm ET (ABC). "This is a series, and we wanted to really win for home court [advantage]. But the beauty is we have another game on Sunday and we'll be ready," Stewart said after the game.
For the Liberty, the pressure will be on. No WNBA team has ever come back from a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series, something New York knows well. The Liberty sent two-time defending champion Las Vegas home in the semifinals after building a similar insurmountable advantage.
"We're disappointed," Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello said. "We have to be better. We're a better team than what we showed today."
After missing the free throw that would have sealed the game for New York, and missing a key layup in overtime, Stewart is also prepping for a personal bounce back. "I feel like knowing my teammates, and that everyone has confidence in me is important," she said. "It's kind of like, on to the next, and still making sure I'm aggressive any time on the court. Obviously as a player, it's very frustrating."
Following Sunday's matchup, the series will head to Minnesota for Game 3 and a possible Game 4. New York will be very motivated to stretch the series as long as possible.
"We can't play to not lose, and I think we started to play [like that] a little bit," said Sabrina Ionescu.
WNBA announces draft, postseason infrastructure for 2025
Prior to Game 1, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced plans for the 2025 college draft, as well as a new structure for the postseason. The 2025 draft lottery will take place on Nov. 17, as the LA Sparks, Dallas Wings, Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky find out who will hold the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft.
Expansion side the Golden State Valkyries will officially pick fifth in all three rounds of the 2025 draft, Engelbert also announced on Thursday. The Valkyries made their own bit of splashy news earlier in the day, announcing Aces assistant Natalie Nakase as the team's inaugural head coach.
The WNBA will also be making changes to the postseason starting in 2025, in reaction to the growing appetite for more games in more home markets.
The league will be expanding the finals to a best-of-seven series instead of a best-of-five starting in 2025. The first round will also go from a home-home-away cadence for the higher seed to a 1-1-1 structure, meaning all playoff teams will be guaranteed a postseason home game next year.
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.
The 2024 WNBA semifinals tipped off their best-of-five series on Sunday, with the Liberty serving up a redemptive win and the Sun claiming the first upset of the entire postseason.
First, top-seeded New York defeated Las Vegas 87-77 before a raucous home crowd, putting the two-time defending champs on the defensive going into the second game on Tuesday.
On a mission to avenge their 2023 WNBA Finals loss to the Aces, 2023 MVP Breanna Stewart dropped 34 points in the Liberty win, passing legend Lisa Leslie to claim the longest streak of double-digit scoring performances in WNBA postseason history.
New York's Sabrina Ionescu finished just behind Stewart on the stat sheet with 21 points, while center Jonquel Jones put up a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Aces guard Kelsey Plum put up 24 points in the loss, after No. 4-seed Las Vegas entered the semis as a lower seed for the first time since 2019.
"You're trying to dig out of a hole the whole time," Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon said about the loss. "It's not the way you want to start, especially on the road."
The Sun upset the Lynx in Minnesota
A few hours later, No. 3-seed Connecticut earned the 2024 WNBA postseason's first upset, claiming a 73-70 Game 1 road win over No. 2-seed Minnesota.
Sun guard Marina Mabrey led all scorers with 20 points, sinking six three-pointers to give the visitors a distinct edge from behind the arc. Meanwhile, teammate Alyssa Thomas neared a triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists in the win.
That said, it was the Sun's defense that claimed the tight win in a game that saw 13 lead changes and eight ties. Connecticut held the Lynx's top scorer, 2024 DPOY Napheesa Collier, to just 19 points, ultimately stifling Collier's last-second game-tying effort to clinch the win. Entering Sunday, Collier was on a record-setting run as the first-ever WNBA player to drop at least 35 points in consecutive playoff games.
All eyes now turn to Tuesday, when the four semifinalists face off again. New York and Connecticut certainly have a leg up, though: WNBA teams that take Game 1 in a best-of-five series are 77% more likely to win the series.
Earlier this week, the WNBA Players Union (WNBPA) spoke up against controversial comments made by league commissioner Cathy Engelbert on CNBC's Power Lunch on Monday.
When asked to address concerning social media exchanges regarding superstar rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese "where race... where sexuality is sometimes introduced into the conversation," Engelbert dodged the question, choosing instead to frame what she described as a "rivalry" in a positive light.
"The one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry," said the commissioner, comparing Reese and Clark to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. "That's what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don't want everybody being nice to one another."
WNBPA calls out subjects WNBA comm'r Engelbert dodged
After players began calling Engelbert out online, the WNBPA issued a statement denouncing racism, homophobia, and misogyny.
"Here is the answer that the Commissioner should have provided to the very clear question regarding the racism, misogyny, and harassment experienced by the Players," the statement read.
There is absolutely no place in sport — or in life — for the vile hate, racist language, homophobic comments, and the misogynistic attacks our players are facing on social media.... Fandom should lift up the game, not tear down the very people who bring it to life."
WNBA stars address Engelbert's CNBC comments
Some of the league's top players took to the press to reinforce the WNBPA's words, including Aces forward Alysha Clark.
"It's taken a darker turn in terms of the types of comments and the vitriol that's coming through to the players, and it's not okay," Clark told ESPN. "I wish [Engelbert] would have just said that — 'It's not okay.'"
Liberty star Breanna Stewart echoed Clark's sentiments, saying "The way that the fans have surged, and especially behind Caitlin and Angel coming to this league, but also bringing a race aspect to a different level — you know, there's no place for that in our sport."
Engelbert later responded to the Players Union's statement in a post on X, writing "there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else."
The Olympic women's basketball tournament's knockout stage tipped off with today's quarterfinal round, which determines whether Team USA will compete against the world's best for an Olympic medal.
The US is still the frontrunner for gold, advancing past pool play on a 3-0 record and a point differential of +58.
History-makers Nigeria stand in Team USA's way
In Team USA's quarterfinal matchup, the seven-time Olympic champions will take on a team that's making some history of their own: Nigeria.
In qualifying for the quarterfinals, Nigeria became the first African nation to ever reach the Olympic knockout rounds, finishing pool play with a record of 2-1. Nigeria's success is a stunning turnaround from the Tokyo Olympics, where the team was eliminated after going winless through pool play.
Ezinne Kalu, who plays for Landerneau in France, has been Nigeria's leading scorer in Paris, most recently pushing past Canada with 21 points.
Roster depth is key to USA's Olympic success
Team USA will rely on their unyielding depth this afternoon, in addition to the combo play of two-time WNBA MVPs A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart.
The US will also lean on their stifling defense and consistent offense, averaging 92 points per game so far in Paris while only allowing 77 points per game from the opposition. And it goes beyond the starters: Team USA's bench contributed 52 points in their pool play finale against Germany.
Three other contenders book Olympic semifinal spots
All eyes are now on the USA's quest for a 59th-straight Olympic victory after today's other three quarterfinals are officially in the books.
After securing a do-or-die win to reach the knockouts, Australia harnessed their momentum to win their quarterfinal game against Serbia 85-67, setting up a semifinal date with either the US or Nigeria.
Spain — the tournament's only other undefeated team through pool play — were stunned by a powerful Belgian side this morning, falling 79-66. The Belgians will next contend in their first-ever Olympic semifinal with host country France, who downed Olympic debutants Germany 84-71 to advance this afternoon.
How to watch Team USA vs. Nigeria in the Olympic quarterfinal
Team USA squares off against Nigeria today at 3:30 PM ET, with live coverage across NBC networks.
USA Basketball's Olympic 5×5 team cruised into the quarterfinals over the weekend, racking up three big pool play wins to enter the knockout rounds in first place. With players like Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson leading the way, the US earned wins over Japan, Belgium, and Germany.
Further cementing their dominance over the field, the US finished pool play up 58 points after three games — a massive stat in a tournament where point differential is a key tiebreaker.
Path to eighth-straight Olympic gold takes shape
With their 58-game Olympic winning streak comfortably intact, Team USA moves on to the win-or-go-home quarterfinals. The seven-time gold medalists will take on Nigeria — the first African country to ever make it to the knockout rounds of an Olympic basketball tournament — on Wednesday at 3:30 PM ET, with live coverage across NBC networks.
Should the US advance, they'll face the winner of Serbia vs. Australia, whose Opals saved their Olympic campaign with Sunday's win over host nation France.
The other quarterfinal matchups are also set, with Spain playing Belgium and France taking on Germany.
Team USA's 3×3 squad rallies to capture Olympic bronze
After kicking things off 0-3, the US 3×3 team's five game winning streak carried them all the way the medal rounds.
The quartet fell 18-16 in overtime to eventual silver medalists Spain in Monday's semifinal, ending their chances of defending their Tokyo gold medal. Hours later, the US regrouped to win their bronze medal match over Canada behind Hailey Van Lith’s team-leading six points, with Germany later taking gold.
"We could have just laid down and not even been competing this far, but we stayed together, we stayed the course, and we made [a medal] happen from very little," said Team USA's Rhyne Howard on Monday.
After a number of days of pool play, USA Basketball's 5×5 and 3×3 teams find themselves on very different trajectories at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Team USA 5×5 is rolling, notching two wins in two games including a 87-74 win over medal contenders Belgium. But the 3×3 team has struggled early, beginning pool play 0-3 before rattling off three straight wins to earn a 3-3 record.
Chemistry remains key for both US basketball teams
Both teams are still trying to find their Olympic footing, with each squad having had very little practice time as a unit before shipping off to France.
The 3×3 team has been further affected by injury, with LA Sparks rookie Cam Brink tearing her ACL in June and Atlanta's Rhyne Howard sidelined with an ankle injury for a number of weeks leading up to the Olympics. Tasked with defending the Tokyo gold medal, the team's relative inexperience with 3×3 and lack of cohesion has shown, as the US fell to Germany, Azerbaijan, and Australia before grabbing their first win.
While the US 5×5 squad are also still building chemistry, they have performed well ahead of the pack against Japan and Belgium.
They've already qualified for the quarterfinal round with one game left in pool play, led by the dynamic offense of Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson. Stewart led all scorers against Belgium with 26 points and seven rebounds, while Wilson added 23 points and 13 rebounds of her own.
What's next for Team USA basketball at the Olympics?
Team USA closes out 5×5 pool play against Germany this weekend, with eyes firmly on the prize as they look to continue an epic Olympic winning streak that dates back to 1992.
Despite the early losses, Team USA's 3×3 squad is bouncing back, going 2-0 on the day after a walk-off shot from behind the arc secured the overtime win over Canada.
Where to watch USA Basketball games at the Olympics
Team USA 3×3 tips off against France in their final pool play game at 1:05 PM ET on Saturday, with live coverage on NBC networks.
Team USA 5×5 will face Germany at 11 AM ET on Sunday, with live coverage on NBC networks.