New York Liberty Win Their First WNBA Championship in Overtime Thriller Against Minnesota Lynx
The New York Liberty captured their first WNBA Championship in franchise history Sunday night, defeating the Minnesota Lynx 67-62 in overtime to win Game 5 of the Finals. The Liberty’s hard-fought victory, sealed at Barclays Center, delivered the long-awaited championship after 28 seasons and marked New York City’s first professional basketball title since 1973. It was the first-ever Game 5 ever settled in overtime. The game had five lead changes and five ties, with three lead changes and two ties in the fourth quarter. For Game 5, attendance was 18,090, which helped break the WNBA Finals attendance records for total attendance (92,599) and average game attendance (18,520).
Jonquel Jones Named Finals MVP
Jonquel Jones led the Liberty with 17 points plus six rebounds in the decisive game and was named the 2024 WNBA Finals MVP for her performance throughout the series. Jones was a consistent force for New York, helping the team survive a tough Lynx squad that pushed the series to the full five games. She averaged 17.8 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 54.2% from the field and a perfect 19-for-19 from the free-throw line.
“Winning this for New York feels amazing,” Jones said after the game. “We’ve worked so hard for this, and to finally bring home a championship for our fans means everything.”
Three other Liberty players were also in double figures in Breanna Stewart, who finished with a double-double of 13 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Rookie sensation Leonie Fiebich and reserve Nyara Sabally added 13 points and seven rebounds each. Fiebich passed Briann January (61) for most points scored by a rookie in WNBA Finals history and is now tied with Kara Lawson, Allie Quigley and Diana Taurasi for the sixth-most three-pointers made in a single Finals series by a player in WNBA history.
Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride led the Lynx with 22 and 21 points, respectively. Collier also pulled down seven rebounds. McBride had a game-high four steals.
Liberty’s Historic Season
The 2024 season was a banner year for Liberty, which finished with a 32-8 record, tied a franchise-best, and earned the No. 1 seed in the playoffs for the second time in its history. The Liberty also made WNBA history by becoming the first team to post back-to-back 30-win seasons.
Liberty General Manager Jonathan Kolb highlighted the significance of the win. “After 28 years, we can finally say it: the New York Liberty are WNBA champions,” Kolb said. “This is for our fans, our players, and every Liberty legend who helped pave the way.”
A Long-Awaited Title
The Liberty’s journey to their first championship has been a long one, with years of rebuilding culminating in this season’s success. Several Liberty greats were in attendance including Sue Wicks, Kym Hampton, and Teresa Weatherspoon. CEO Keia Clarke pointed to the organization’s strategic turnaround under the ownership of Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai as a key factor in reaching this milestone.
“The Liberty have been chasing this dream since 1997, and after a five-year transformation, we’re thrilled to bring a title to New York,” Clarke said. “This championship is for our fans who have been with us every step of the way.”
Celebration Plans
The Liberty will host celebrations in Manhattan and Brooklyn to mark the championship. More details will be announced on Monday, October 21.
