New York Liberty hero Breanna Stewart admitted her relief after she completed a redemption arc as her team saw out victory over the Minnesota Lynx to secure a first-ever WNBA championship .
With the opponents having come into Game 5 with the series at 2-2, the hosts secured a memorable 67-62 victory in a winner-takes-all clash at Barclays Center. Providing a masterclass on the night, Jonquel Jones walked away with the MVP honors after tallying up 17 points and six rebounds.
Meanwhile, Sabrina Ionescu had a quieter outing, contributing five points, alongside eight assists and seven rebounds, while Stewart finished on 13 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. In the case of the latter, the win represented a turnaround in fortunes after she missed one of two free throws in the fourth quarter of Game 1 - as a chance to win the game went begging.
History repeated itself in the Game 5 decider too, as Stewart missed her chance to bring the scoreline level at the free-throw line with her team two-down in the fourth quarter. After her team saw out the win in overtime, she looked back over her the series, as she reflected: "I missed it earlier in this series. ... I knew I was going to make it for this city."
Hailing the efforts of her teammates, as well as the support from fans in New York, the power forward confessed that this third career WNBA championship felt extra sweet. Her first title with the Liberty since joining in 2023, she acknowledged: "I've been manifesting this moment for awhile, There's no feeling like it.
"Credit to Minnesota, they gave us a tough series. The fans have been amazing everywhere we've gone. To bring a championship to New York, first ever in franchise history it's an incredible feeling. I can't wait to continue to celebrate with the city. It's going to be bonkers."
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Previous to this, Stewart had also spoken of wanting to avenge last year's heartbreak after losing to the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA Finals. She said: "I think I've just kind of grown from it. I've had - unfortunately - a lot of time to reflect on it, and where can I be better. And how to handle things collectively better. But with that, I don't forget who I am and what I can do."
The 30-year-old was particularly impressed with the performance of teammate Jones on the night, as she paid tribute to her colleague, saying: "Her dominance in the paint, on the boards, help-side defense, everything that we needed, she was there,” Stewart said. “She had to wait a while to get to this point, to get to the finals to win a championship. But the wait was worth it.”
Likewise, Ionescu reflected on what was a true team effort as the Liberty triumphed over the Lynx. She added: "Just did whatever it took to win. Believed in my teammates, believed in this entire organization. It takes everyone. You don’t do this alone, and we did it in New York."
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