Looking back on the New York Liberty's 28-year quest for a WNBA championship
NEW YORK -- The New York Liberty were formed in 1997 when they were selected as one of the founding charter franchises of the Women's National Basketball Association.
Success came early and often for the Liberty, but a cherished first title eluded the franchise until well into its third decade.
On June 21, 1997, the Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks played the first game in league history, and the Liberty earned their first win in team history with a victory at the famed Los Angeles Forum.
Liberty's early success
Eight days later, it was another win in the first WNBA game at Madison Square Garden, in front of nearly 18,000 fans. The Liberty reached the Finals in that first season, but ultimately, the Houston Comets walked away with the inaugural title.
Two season later, the Liberty and Comets met in a Finals rematch, and fans saw what is known as the most famous shot in WNBA history. Teresa Weatherspoon made a shot from half court to win Game 2, but the Liberty would lose the best-of-three series again.
The franchise reached four of the first six WNBA Finals, only to lose each one. Twenty seasons would pass before they returned.
Franchise milestones
However, the time in between was not lost -- far from it, actually. Many memorable moments followed.
In 2004, the Liberty played six sellout games at Radio City Music Hall. In 2008, more than 19,000 lucky fans saw them play at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the first outdoor game in league history.
Always at the forefront for social justice, the 2016 season saw them wear black warm-up shirts in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. In 2017, the Liberty entered a float and participated in the legendary New York City Pride March.
In 2019, a change of ownership ushered in a new era. Billionaire Joe Tsai bought the team and a short time later made the Liberty fulltime residents of Barclays Center.
Closing in on a championship
In 2020, the Liberty selected Sabrina Ionescu with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft and in 2022, they hired a head coach with a championship pedigree, Sandy Brondello.
Then, 2023 saw the final piece of the puzzle added with Breanna Stewart, who won league MVP in her first year with the Liberty.
It all added up to their first Finals appearance in 21 seasons. But once again, it ended with a loss.
The defeat fanned the competitive flames of the players and coaches to reach the summit. On Sunday night in Brooklyn, it happened. The last of the charter franchises finally won its title, some 28 years in the making.
The 2024 WNBA Playoffs had a bonus pool of $500,000, which is divided among teams based on performance. Each Liberty player will now receive a bonus of $20,825.