Jonquel Jones Wins 2024 WNBA Finals MVP as Liberty Win 1st-Ever Championship vs. Lynx
Oct 21, 2024
BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 20: Jonquel Jones #35 of the New York Liberty dribbles the ball during the game against the Minnesota Lynx during Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals on October 20, 2024 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
The New York Liberty won their first ever WNBA Championship on Sunday night in a 67-62 overtime victory over the Minnesota Lynx.
Seventh-year player out of George Washington, Jonquel Jones, was named the 2024 Finals MVP after averaging 17.8 points with 7.6 rebounds while shooting 56 percent from the field during the 2024 Finals.
During Game 5, Jones finished with 17 points, six rebounds and one assist to help the Liberty grab the title.
Jones was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks before being traded to the Connecticut Sun as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft.
Jones was fighting back tears while accepting the award from WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
"Y'all know my story, y'all know how many times I've been denied it but, it was delayed that's all it was," Jones said post-game. "I'm so happy to do it here."
Born in the Grand Bahamas, the 30-year-old adds the accolade to a long list including the 2017 Most Improved Player, 2018 Sixth Woman of the Year and the 2021 MVP.
Teammates Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart struggled during Game 5, making Jones' ability to step up for her team instrumental in their overtime victory.
Ionescu finished the game shooting 1-19 with five points, eight assists and seven rebounds while Stewie added 13 points, shooting 4-15 with 15 rebounds.
Breanna Stewart, Liberty Celebrated By Fans for 1st-Ever WNBA Title Win vs. Lynx
Oct 21, 2024
BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 20: Jonquel Jones #35 of the New York Liberty handles the ball during the game against the Minnesota Lynx during Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on October 20, 2024 in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
At long last, the WNBA champion resides in New York City.
The New York Liberty won a winner-takes-all Game 5 over the Minnesota Lynx 67-62 in overtime on Sunday to claim their first title in franchise history in their sixth trip to the WNBA Finals.
🚨 LIBERTY WIN THEIR FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP IN FRANCHISE HISTORY 🚨
Breanna Stewart had the chance to tie the game at the free throw line with less than a minute to play, but missed both to allow Minnesota to put the game away. The Lynx couldn't capitalize and Stewart once again went to the line on the other end, this time the stakes much higher with less than 10 seconds to play.
She got her redemption, making both free throws to make it 60-60. The Lynx's game-winning shot attempt missed, sending things to overtime—a fitting place for a game with such intensity.
There were just nine points scored between both teams in a scrappy, defensive overtime battle, but the Liberty walked away as champions after Stewart sealed the game at the free throw line.
After the win, fans praised New York for bouncing back from last year's WNBA Finals loss with a championship.
JJ was incredible!! Sabally off the bench 🔥 Sabrina struggled shooting but was a great facilitator when it mattered. And Stewie was clutch when it mattered most! Congrats Liberty!!! Earned!!
Defense wins championships. Stewie & Sab terrible shooting night but Stewie hit clutch free throws and as a team locked up 🔥🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/2aZey4lRna
It wasn't the best night for the Liberty's stars as Stewart had just 13 points and Sabrina Ionescu had just five, but stout defense and a strong supporting cast willed New York to the win.
Jonquel Jones led the way for the Liberty with her 17 points and six rebounds, and she was awarded with a WNBA Finals MVP trophy.
Liberty HC Brondello: 'Pisses Me Off' to See Foul Discrepancy After Loss vs. Lynx
Oct 19, 2024
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 16: Head coach Sandy Brondello of the New York Liberty looks on during the first quarter against the Minnesota Lynx in Game Three of the WNBA Finals at Target Center on October 16, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello wasn't pleased with the officiating during Friday's 82-80 loss to the Minnesota Lynx in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Brondello said it "pisses me off" after the Lynx had a 20-9 advantage in free throws.
"If [we] are getting hit, it's a bloody foul. ... I know Cheryl [Reeve] talked about it last time, but we got no calls today. So do I need to talk up in a press conference? Because they were getting ticky-tacks. And we went down there and got hit and get nothing. It was 14-9 [Liberty fouls to Lynx fouls]. No. All we want is fair, OK. So if we are getting hit, that's a foul. You know, I'm one of the nicest bloody coaches in this league, but this pisses me off. Just be fair."
Minnesota got the win thanks to Bridget Carleton's go-ahead free throws with two seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
The actual foul disparity, which Brondello mentioned, wasn't alarming. The Liberty were whistled for 14 fouls, compared to nine for Minnesota. The Lynx have actually been called for more fouls through the first four games of the series (58 to 56).
This could be a bit of gamesmanship by Brondello after Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve used a similar approach during her postgame press conference following New York's dramatic Game 3 win.
Reeve didn't explicitly call out the officials, but she strongly implied that Breanna Stewart's 22-point outburst in the second half of Game 3 was helped in part because she got calls that Napheesa Collier didn't.
Cheryl Reeve on Breanna Stewart's 2H difference: "She got fouled. She was asserting herself in that way. The game's called differently for Phee than it is for Stewie, for sure... for whatever reason, we have a hard time getting to the foul line in this series." (Q: @benpickman)
If Reeve was trying to send a message to the refs, the strategy paid off because Stewart had just one free-throw attempt on Friday. Collier went 4-of-6 from the charity stripe.
Now that Brondello has sent her own message to the officials, it will be interesting to see if there is any change in how things are called in the winner-take-all Game 5. Three of the four games in the series have been decided by three points or less.
Minnesota is seeking its fifth championship, which would break a tie with the Houston Comets and Seattle Storm for most in WNBA history. New York will try to win its first title in its sixth appearance in the WNBA Finals.
The Lynx and Liberty will play the decisive Game 5 at Barclays Center on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.
Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu on Game-Winning 3 vs. Lynx: 'I'm Built for This Moment'
Oct 17, 2024
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 16: Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty brings the ball up court during the game against the Minnesota Lynx during Game Three of the 2024 WNBA Finals on October 16, 2024 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Adam Bettcher/NBAE via Getty Images)
Sabrina Ionescu hit one of the biggest shots of her career on Wednesday in the WNBA Finals.
The New York Liberty star drained a deep three to give her team the lead over the Minnesota Lynx with just a second to play, sealing a victory in Game 3.
After the win, Ionescu broke down what was going through her head in the huge moment.
"I trusted my preparation. I'm built for this moment," she told ESPN's Holly Rowe. "I missed one that could've sealed the game and I just got an open look and trusted that I could make it. My teammates got me open and it feels good to get a win."
Breanna Stewart led the way for the Liberty for most of the night, scoring 30 points and grabbing 11 boards, but it was Ionescu who delivered as the hero with the big shot. Ionescu finished with 13 points, six assists and five rebounds.
There's been no shortage of drama in this year's WNBA Finals. Game 1 went into overtime with Minnesota ultimately stealing a two-point win on the road. New York bounced back with a 14-point win to even the series in Game 2 before winning Wednesday's nail-biter.
Now, the top-seeded Liberty are just one win away from securing their first championship in franchise history. Despite reaching the Finals six times, the Liberty have never come away with the trophy, including last season when they fell to the Las Vegas Aces.
They were the best team in basketball during the regular season and now have the chance to end their season with a win.
But the Lynx will be fired up after the close loss on Wednesday as they return home to Minnesota. New York will need another big game from Stewart and perhaps more heroics from Ionescu to end the series in four games.
Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu Wow Fans as Liberty Win WNBA Finals Game 3 vs. Lynx
Oct 17, 2024
BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 13: The New York Liberty huddle up during the game against the Minnesota Lynx during Game 2 of the 2024 WNBA Finals on October 13, 2024 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu were not to be denied.
The former was spectacular on Wednesday night, pacing her team with 30 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in a crucial 80-77 win over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals.
And Ionescu... well, she did this:
ONE OF THE BIGGEST SHOTS IN LIBERTY FINALS HISTORY FROM SABRINA IONESCU 😱🔥
If the Lynx committed theft after stealing Game 1, they failed to lock their own house's doors in Game 3.
From the 8:34 mark in the first quarter until there was just one minute and 31 seconds remaining in the game, the Lynx held the lead in front of their home crowd. It appeared the team would go up 2-1 in the series behind the efforts of Napheesa Collier (22 points, nine boards, five steals) and Kayla McBride (19 points, 5-of-9 from three).
But the Liberty showed resilience, finally taking the lead again on a Jonquel Jones three, before Ionescu—who had just seven points in the game before scoring six in the final minute alone—dropped one of her own to put the Liberty in the driver's seat:
The Lynx would go on to tie it at 77 apiece with just 16 seconds remaining, setting the stage for Ionescu's dramatic, brilliant and unforgettable finish.
This series has been remarkable, setting the stage for what should be an epic battle in Game 4 (Friday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN) as the Lynx look to keep their season alive. If Stewart and Ionescu are cooking, though, there might not be any stopping the Liberty.
WNBA Star Breanna Stewart Reveals Her Wife Received Threatening, Homophobic Email
Oct 15, 2024
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MAY 27: Breanna Stewart #30 of the Seattle Storm kisses her wife Marta Xargay Casademont at Climate Pledge Arena while holding their daughter Ruby Mae Stewart Xargay after the game against the New York Liberty on May 27, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The wife of New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart was the target of a threatening and homophobic email, according to the New York Post's Joe Marino and Steve Janoski.
The message read in part, "I hope someone shoots your wife dead, f--k you d--es [sic], I hope you both die."
Marino and Janoski reported Stewart's wife, Marta Xargay Casademont, reached out to New York police about the email.
Stewart addressed the situation Tuesday on NBA Today, calling it "unacceptable":
2-time MVP Breanna Stewart addresses the threatening, homophobic email sent to her wife, Marta, for the first time in an exclusive interview with NBA Today: pic.twitter.com/LRSG038FcK
The two-time WNBA MVP said her wife got the email after the Liberty lost Game 1 of the WNBA Finals to the Minnesota Lynx.
Per Marino and Janoski, a preliminary investigation by NBA security officials showed the source of the message "has been associated with other hateful missives, including death threats, bomb threats and more racist rhetoric."
WNBA viewership and attendance have surged in 2024, which helped the league secure a massive media rights deal. All of the added attention on women's basketball has had an unfortunate consequence, though.
Players around the league have said they're receiving more abuse, particularly on social media, than they ever have before.
On her A Touch More podcast with co-host and partner Megan Rapinoe, Seattle Storm legend Sue Bird reflected how the arrival of Caitlin Clark didn't create this problem. However, the spike in popularity she helped to drive did amplify a longstanding issue.
"Racism has been impacting the WNBA well before this year. This is not a new thing," Bird said. "In that way, I do think Caitlin's being used as a pawn. Caitlin didn't bring racism to the WNBA. This has been happening. And that I think is what's been such a shock for all of us, that other people are surprised. We've been trying to tell you."
The WNBA said in a Sept. 25 statement it "will not tolerate racist, derogatory, or threatening comments made about players, teams and anyone affiliated with the league." The league added it "is actively monitoring threat-related activity" and will contact the relevant authorities when required.
That came after Terri Jackson, executive director for the Women's National Basketball Players Association, criticized WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert for her comments in a Sept. 9 appearance on CNBC's Power Lunch.
Pressed directly about the "darker" and "more menacing" tone discourse around the league has taken, Engelbert effectively said it's good that fans aren't apathetic toward the league and that rivalries can drive more interest.
Breanna Stewart, Liberty Impress Fans with Game 2 Win vs. Lynx, Even WNBA Finals 1-1
Oct 13, 2024
After blowing an 18-point lead and losing Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on their home floor, the New York Liberty appeared to be in danger of suffering a Sunday's Game 2 against the Minnesota Lynx.
A 17-point first-half lead for the Liberty was cut to two points in the fourth quarter, but the team answered the challenge and staved off the Lynx's comeback with a strong defensive performance down the stretch to earn an 80-66 win and tie the series 1-1 in front of 18,000 fans at the Barclays Center.
Two-time WNBA Finals MVP Breanna Stewart spearheaded the victory with a game-high 21 points while adding eight rebounds, five assists and a Finals-record seven steals. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, whose previous playoffs career-high was 10 points, added 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Sabrina Ionescu posted 15 points, 14 of which came in the first half, and Jonquel Jones notched 14 points and nine rebounds.
Naphessa Collier led Minnesota with 16 points and eight rebounds. After Collier's layup made it a two-point game with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter, New York closed the game on a 14-2 run.
Fans on social media were impressed with the resiliency shown by the Liberty in Sunday's victory:
Breanna Stewarts sets a WNBA Finals record SEVEN steals in Game 2 🔒
As the series heads to Minnesota for the next two games, New York will have to continue to remain poised as it's clear that no lead is safe in this series, no matter how large.
The Liberty and Lynx will be back in action for Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday.
WNBA Finals 2024: 3 Instant Reactions to Lynx vs. Liberty on the Bracket
Liberty Thrill Fans with Playoff Win vs. A'ja Wilson, Aces to Advance to WNBA Finals
Oct 6, 2024
LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 6: Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty drives to the basket during the game against the Las Vegas Aces during Round 2 Game 4 of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs on October 6, 2024 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)
Nearly a year after the Las Vegas Aces ended their hopes for a WNBA championship, the New York Liberty returned the favor on Sunday.
The Liberty defeated the Aces 76-62 in Game 4 of the WNBA Semifinals to win the series 3-1 and reach the WNBA Finals for the second straight year. The loss ends Las Vegas' bid for a third straight WNBA title.
Star guard Sabrina Ionescu led the way for New York with 22 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. She connected on five of her eight three-pointers. Breanna Stewart added 19 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and four blocks, while Jonquel Jones had 14 points and six rebounds.
2024 WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson led the Aces with 19 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks, while Kelsey Plum added 17 points.
The Liberty entered the fourth quarter with just a two-point lead before outscoring the Aces 23-11 in the frame to put the game away.
Fans on social media were excited by New York's big win over its rival on Sunday:
The Liberty await the winner of the second WNBA semifinal series between the Minnesota Lynx and Connecticut Sun. The Lynx hold a 2-1 lead entering Sunday's Game 4.
New York will return to action in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Thursday.
WNBA's Sabrina Ionescu: Liberty 'Haven't Won Anything' amid 2-0 Series Lead vs. Aces
Oct 2, 2024
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 01: Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty celebrates a turnover in the first half of Game Two of the WNBA Semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces at Barclays Center on October 01, 2024 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The New York Liberty are one win away from their second consecutive WNBA Finals appearance, but Sabrina Ionescu knows there is still a ton of work to do.
Speaking to ESPN's Michael Voepel after the Liberty beat the Las Vegas Aces 88-84 on Tuesday to take a 2-0 series lead in the WNBA semifinals, Ionescu said: "Being up 2-0 is great, but we haven't won anything. We did what we were supposed to, which was protect home court."
While no WNBA team has ever come back from an 0-2 series deficit to win a best-of-five playoff series, the Aces perhaps have a better chance to make it happen than any team in history.
Led by reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson, the Aces have won back-to-back WNBA titles, including beating the Liberty 3-1 in last year's WNBA Finals.
Wilson averaged a remarkable 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game during the regular season, meaning she is capable of taking over games and essentially pulling Vegas out of the doldrums on her own.
She is far from alone, though, as Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray are also stars, and all of them helped Team USA win Olympic gold over the summer.
The Liberty are chock full of talent in their own right, led by two-time WNBA MVP and two-time WNBA Finals MVP Breanna Stewart, as well as Ionescu.
Although Stewart led the team in scoring during the regular season with 20.4 points per game, Ionescu has been New York's go-to player during the playoffs thus far, averaging 24.5 points per contest.
That included a huge showing in Tuesday's Game 2 win, as she went off for 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
However, as Ionescu alluded to, things figure to get tougher for the Liberty in Game 3 since the series will shift to Vegas in front of some of the most supportive and raucous fans in the WNBA.
The Liberty can take a big step toward their first-ever WNBA championship by finishing the job against the Aces, but with so much playoff and championship experience, the Aces are unlikely to go down without a fight.
