New York Basketball Fans Rejoice: The Championship Drought Has Ended

After 28 years and a handful of Finals appearances, the New York Liberty have won a title.

The New York Liberty, one of the original WNBA teams, played their first game in 1997.

That season, they also became one of the first teams to compete in the WNBA finals.

However, they lost to the Houston Comets, who became the league’s first champions.

Since 1998 to 2023, New York has been one of the best franchises in the league and has made it back to the Finals four times. But they lost every time.

In 1999, they lost to the Comets again.

Then they lost to Houston again in 2000.

In 2002, they returned to the Finals only to lose to the Los Angeles Sparks.

Then, after two decades, in 2023, they got back to the final stage but fell to the Las Vegas Aces.

They were one of the best original teams to not win a title.

Then 2024 happened.

The New York Liberty broke the curse like how Agatha broke Wanda’s spell and brought home the WNBA Championship Trophy.

The series between New York and the Minnesota Lynx was back and forth but Game 5 was ugly and gritty. 

The players were physical and a lot of defence was played. As a result, New York’s top players, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, were hounded by their opponents and shot terribly.

Stewart made 26.7 percent of her shots while Ionescu made 5.3 percent.

Luckily for them, Jonquel Jones, the Finals MVP, bailed them out by bullying her way to 17 points on 50 percent shooting, leading the Liberty to the 67-62 victory.

Via ESPN:

"I could never dream of this," said Jones. "You know how many times I've been denied. It was delayed. I am so happy to do it here."

The New York Liberty have had a tough history, but they just kept fighting and fighting and after 28 years, have finally touched glory by winning the championship title.

"I've been manifesting this moment for a while. There's no feeling like it," Stewart said after the game. "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."

And other than the players, no one is happier about the victory than the one and only Spike Lee.

P.S. The last time a New York basketball team won a championship was in 1973 (the Nets won in 1974 and 1976 but they were in New Jersey), so fans have been waiting a looooong time.