Breaking down 10 top moments in Libertys WNBA-title winning season
The Liberty have finally won their first WNBA championship after 28 years and have brought a pro basketball title to New York City for the first time in 51 years.The historic moment is worthy of a retrospective, diving back into the season that ultimately delivered a Liberty triumph.Come back along memory lane as we break broken down the top 10 moments of the 2024 season that led to the Liberty’s breakthrough first WNBA title:It all started in free agency before the season.After a four-game flop against the Las Vegas Aces in the 2023 Finals, there was still a question of whether the key members of the Liberty superteam would stick around for another year.In the end, they committed to run it back.
Breanna Stewart signed a discounted one-year contract in February, allowing the Liberty more cap space to retain Jonquel Jones on a two-year contract that locked in the core group for another season and to add key reserve Kennedy Burke.The early stages of the season were notable for the emergence of Leonie Fiebich, the 24-year-old rookie from Germany who previously played overseas until Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb sold her on New York’s championship vision for the season.Initially coming off the bench, the 6-foot-4 forward’s minutes rose during an eight-game winning streak from late May into June, including a tight 82-75 win over the Connecticut Sun on June 8 and the first victory of the year over the Aces on June 15.
Fiebich received her first WNBA start on June 20 in a win over the Sparks — a preview of the lineups that would carry the Liberty in the playoffs.Courtney Vandersloot, the Liberty’s veteran point guard, missed eight games in June after her mother, Jan, lost her battle with breast cancer.During her absence, the Liberty spoke in general terms about supporting their teammate and giving her the time she needed to grieve.
Vandersloot was welcomed back at Barclays Center for the June 30 game against the Atlanta Dream.She tallied seven points,...