BANNER DAY: NY Liberty begin 2025 hoping to create more history
The world is different when you're a champion. You feel more sure of yourself, the pressure of winning the big one is gone, and you've created memories that will last a lifetime. When the New York Liberty broke the NYC championship drought last October, they completed a journey that was 28 years in the making. The big question after you finish the story is what's next? For the Liberty, it was about working to stay one step of the competition.
'I was adamant that we had to change it up a little bit to bring that freshness,' Sandy Brondello said on practice on April 28. 'Repeating is really hard, so it's not just about repeating. It's about evolving. That's my key word, how do we evolve? How do we evolve our style of play to complement the players that we have? And I think the game continues to evolve so this is something that we constantly do. Review, reflect, and reset every year, but how do we keep getting better? Don't be satisfied with what we have done.'
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They lost Kayla Thornton to the Expansion Draft, Courtney Vandersloot to free agency, and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton to injury, but they picked up Natasha Cloud in a trade with the Connecticut Sun. Tash gives the Liberty more downhill juice and A+ defense across multiple positions. The return of Marine Johannès means the coolest basketball player on Earth is back in Brooklyn. The bench will also be fortified by the presence of the returning from injury Rebekah Gardner, the solid Kennedy Burke, and Isabelle Harrison providing backup minutes in the frontcourt. The additions will shore up a Liberty team that led the WNBA in various categories in 2024. With the season at a record high 44 games, Sandy Brondello will have to make sure everyone gets playing time and doesn't get overworked.
The Liberty organization has continued to grow, and today will be a celebration of all the work they've done and the beginning of their next adventure.
Joining the Barclays Center is a team that's looking to bounce back after a frustrating and disappointing 2024. The Las Vegas Aces sought immortality and a three-peat, but the New York Liberty had other plans and took them out in the semifinals. Vegas is back with some new faces and plenty to prove.
Where to follow the game
ABC is the place to be. Tip is at 1 PM. However, fans will be able to enter the Barclays Center starting at 11:00 a.m. ET so they can get situated for the championship ceremony which begins at 12:30. ABC will carry the entire ring and banner raising ceremony, a first in the WNBA.
Injuries
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton is out for the season with a knee injury. Leonie Fiebich just got back from playing with Valencia in Spain a few days ago. She's listed as questionable for this game.
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Cheyenne Parker-Tyus is on maternity leave. Megan Gustasfon is out with a leg injury. Crystal Bradford is back in the WNBA for the first time in four years, but she'll be serving a one game suspension. Why, you ask? Tenders and Bites!
The game
The Aces are looking pretty different from when we last saw them. Kelsey Plum is now a member of the Los Angeles Sparks and Jewell Loyd is here after forcing her way out of the Seattle Storm. Loyd had a tumultuous year on and off the court as everything went wrong in Seattle. She's in a new city and will have a chance to slide down the org chart and return to her former role as the second/third option. Something we'll be keeping an eye on is how many shots the Aces get inside the restricted area. They've been last in the league in shots inside the restricted area for the past two seasons. And now that their best driver is in Los Angeles, Becky Hammon will have to scheme up ways to create those opportunities.
Speaking of Hammon, today will be... something for her. She was a Liberty legend and got her start in the WNBA here. Of course, her story didn't end there and she's now the coach of New York's biggest rival. She was asked about it on Friday
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Take in the moment, but when the bell rings, it's back to business.
If the Aces want to get back to the championship, they're going to need a lot more from Jackie Young. Young dealt with an injury from the Olympics and it slowed her down to the point where she had the worst postseason of her career. Young is the key to their season and if she doesn't play to the level we're used to, things will be a lot tougher on the Aces.
Having Natasha Cloud will move Sabrina Ionescu off the ball and allow her to tap into more of her scoring arsenal. With Cloud, Ionescu won't have to do initiate offense as much as she did last season, which allows her to play more off the ball and create space for her teammates. Cloud gives the Liberty more rim pressure and that in turn will open much catch and shoot opportunities for Sab and the rest of the team.
Breanna Stewart being healthy will be the key to the Liberty season. Stewie is an all time great, and in this matchup specifically, her off-ball defense takes on even more importance. Last year, the Liberty had her roaming on defense and playing off of Kiah Stokes and any other non Aces star. If Vegas wants to solve the Liberty puzzle, it will start with figuring out how to limit Stewart's effectiveness on that side of the ball.
Player to watch: A'ja Wilson
A'One, Unanimous, Legend. Wilson is the gold standard in women's basketball and someone that gets better every year. Wilson can do everything possible on a basketball court and as one of the faces of the league, someone that represents every time she shows up. Wilson didn't dominate against the Liberty last season as NY's unique combination of size, length, and athleticism bothered her just enough in their matchups. With a healthy Chelsea Gray and Loyd now on the team, A'ja shouldn't have to carry a tremendous workload this year. If she has to have a repeat of 2024, it means that things aren't going according to plan in Las Vegas.
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The M'VP will have to do battle with the reigning Finals MVP. Jonquel Jones was sensational throughout 2024 and saved the day when New York needed it most. The offense is a bit different this year, but Jones is always able to get to her spots and make something happen. With the Liberty operating in more space, we will get to see even more of JJ's arsenal. Jones set a career high in assist rate in 2024, and we should be seeing more of her passing on display this season
Of course, if all else fails, the Liberty can give Jonquel the ball in the post and let her cook. She's one of the few players that can contend with Wilson on the inside and this matchup will be the headliner on what should be a special day for basketball fans here in New York.
From the Vault
It's Ring Day, and we'll let our friends at Liberty Unlocked take it from here
More reading: Las Vegas Review-Journal, Swish Appeal, Breakaway, Women's Basketball Roundup, The Local W, New York Daily News, New York Post, The Athletic. NY Liberty Fan TV, Fansided, Just Women's Sports, SI All Knicks, Winsidr, No Cap Space, Her Hoop Stats, CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports, and The Next
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