WNBA legend Lisa Leslie reacts to Liberty’s first championship

The New York Liberty’s first WNBA Championship has everyone going crazy over what the team accomplished, especially WNBA Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie. He brought X and shared his thoughts on the franchise securing its first title.

“Congratulations to @nyliberty and their amazing fans!!! @breannastewart you did it with an amazing team effort 🗽#CongratsEllie.”

Leslie understands what it’s like to be a champion. He won back-to-back titles with the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Also, this was during the Houston Comets’ dynasty of winning the first four league championships. Leslie had a great career in her own right, winning three MVPs, two Defensive Player of the Year trophies and two Finals MVPs.

Since retiring, Leslie has been one of the biggest fans of the WNBA. He loves promoting players, especially rookies. For example, Leslie stood up for Caitlin Clark once she entered the league. His constant support of the league and its players is one that fans admire.

Lisa Leslie understands the Liberty’s road to their first championship

The Liberty endured years of hardship and heartbreak in their quest for a WNBA championship. In the first six years of the league’s inception, they lost four finals, three of them to the Comets, and then the fourth loss to Leslie and the Sparks. Even with franchise Teresa Weatherspoon, they could never get over the championship barricade.

Fortunately for them, they rebuilt years later by selecting Sabrina Ionescu first overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft. After two seasons of a promising rebuild, the Liberty signed Breanna Stewart in free agency in 2023. After a disappointing Finals loss to the Las Vegas Aces, they bounced back. Stewart kept the Liberty core intact by signing a sub-max contract extension that offseason.

It’s safe to say that Stewart’s gamble paid off. New York went 32-8 in the regular season and dominated in the playoffs. They went 8-3, a record similar to the Phoenix Mercury during their title run in 2014. After all, Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello compared the two teams during the regular season.

While the 2024 finals battle between the Liberty and Minnesota Lynx was intense, New York ultimately persevered. They were the first two teams to face each other. Stewart scored in double figures during the playoffs. He even scored over 20 in Games 3 and 4.

It wasn’t just Stewart, though. Ionescu iced Game 3 with a crazy shot. Jonquel Jones dominated inside, and rookie Leonie Fiebich was a threat on the outside. Leslie knows the perseverance, rigor and tenacity that goes into winning a title.