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00:00:01.
00:00:052024 was a monumental year for the WNBA.
00:00:09Women's basketball is on the rise.
00:00:11The most watched season ever.
00:00:13To talk about the biggest story in the country right now,
00:00:1612 million people turned in Monday night's game.
00:00:19This is a big deal.
00:00:20And women's ratings have been on the upswing for years.
00:00:23Record attendance.
00:00:24If you're not watching the WNBA, you're missing out.
00:00:26Redefining and undeniable.
00:00:29Ratings have continuously exceeded expectations.
00:00:32This has been building.
00:00:33It's been building for a really long time.
00:00:402024 was a pivotal year for me as well.
00:00:44A champion, a leader, a generational talent.
00:00:48Yes! She did it!
00:00:492008 Rookie of the Year.
00:00:51Two-time Most Valuable Player.
00:00:532013 All-Star Game MVP.
00:00:562016 WNBA Finals MVP.
00:01:01Candace Parker!
00:01:03She's the reason that I've just loved basketball so much.
00:01:06The reason I was number three, you know, when I was young.
00:01:09She will forever be my GOAT.
00:01:11No matter what, no one has done things that Candace has done.
00:01:15After 16 years, I retired.
00:01:19It's never easy to put the ball down and move on from your first love.
00:01:22But to simplify what I learned through basketball, through it all,
00:01:26is what I'm gonna carry to the next phase of life.
00:01:28Which is joy.
00:01:29I joined a new team of former athletes and became part of the legacy of 27 years of legendary women
00:01:38who built this league.
00:01:39Cheryl Swoops fades away.
00:01:42Women who gave basketball and the WNBA so much.
00:01:46Tina Thompson, MVP.
00:01:49You are driving.
00:01:50A move by Lisa Israel.
00:01:52Theresa Redisberg.
00:01:53At the buzzer, a three!
00:01:55Wow!
00:01:56That is big-time basketball.
00:01:59Now, the W Stars are household names.
00:02:02And everyone watches as they battle for the championship title.
00:02:06For the first time in 21 years, the WNBA has a back-to-back champion.
00:02:15You see that banner up there?
00:02:17That's never going anywhere.
00:02:19The Aces on top yet again.
00:02:23Every year, I say, this year is better than the last.
00:02:27But 2024 was just special.
00:02:30The back-to-back is huge.
00:02:31Like, a lot of people, when they're like, oh, two-time.
00:02:33I'm like, make sure you say that back-to-back, because that's hard.
00:02:39The goal is always to win a championship.
00:02:41We want to win.
00:02:42The only thing that's really been missing for me is a WNBA championship.
00:02:46Nobody cares unless you win.
00:02:48And the rookie class of 2024.
00:02:51We welcome you to the WNBA Draft 2024.
00:02:54Folks are really paying attention to the collegiate game.
00:02:58And the stars are out.
00:03:01They had their own fandom as college players.
00:03:04Every single one.
00:03:06They were amazing.
00:03:08The Indiana Fever.
00:03:09Select Kaitlyn Clark, University of Iowa.
00:03:13She's got the it factor, and people love her.
00:03:16Angel Reese.
00:03:19Talking about Angel Reese.
00:03:21This woman is amazing.
00:03:22In 2024, teams are selling out tickets before we start.
00:03:28They're selling out jerseys before we start.
00:03:32And then we start.
00:03:34And it's just explosion after explosion.
00:03:38With more visibility comes more pressure.
00:03:40But one thing about the W, these athletes always prove that when the heat rises, so does the smoke.
00:03:51Twelve teams, 240 games, one championship title, and a year that changed everything for the WNBA.
00:04:01Okay.
00:04:03Yep.
00:04:04Answer them.
00:04:05Gertie.
00:04:12Rise up like I'm running through the fire.
00:04:15Rise up as the wind's getting higher.
00:04:18Rise up, now I'm gonna rise up, rise up so high.
00:04:25Rise up.
00:04:26Rise up.
00:04:3424 was a tipping point year for women's basketball and for the w every season a player's goal is
00:04:42always to win the championship but in 2024 these athletes were chasing it with the eyes of the
00:04:49world on them viewership was up 170 percent and journalists who used to snub the w were suddenly
00:04:57writing daily breaking news there's no doubt 2024 was historic but when i look at it there were five
00:05:05players that defined the excellence of the year and the promise of the future
00:05:14few wmba teams are as revered as the las vegas aces with two back-to-back championship titles
00:05:21led by my former teammate asia wilson
00:05:32so to the world champion
00:05:49after back-to-back championships the aces are hungry for a three-peat something that hasn't
00:05:55happened in the wmba since the houston comets did it in 2000. i think people don't understand we
00:06:03just wake up back-to-back champions we had to go and get it out the mud and be in
00:06:06the trenches
00:06:07i just had this respect for how difficult it truly is to win and to go back to back like
00:06:13i was in
00:06:14barclays center when vegas won that second title they beat the liberty 70 to 69 final
00:06:22but that was a hard-fought victory and so now you've got this target on your back two times over
00:06:28i don't know is people still out there saying it ain't good enough and that right there is all i
00:06:33need when you're wired for greatness the way asia wilson is sometimes all you need is doubt
00:06:40i've been so used to coming into the league and having that target automatically on our backs and
00:06:44a lot of people talking about vegas we're not satisfied uh it's cool yes great love banners and
00:06:51rings but we still want more we're greedy for this the aces opened up the 2024 season by breaking
00:06:57a wmba record they sold out every single home game and they kicked off the 2024 season with several
00:07:06back-to-back wins
00:07:13but one of the biggest threats to the aces going for that three-peat
00:07:17was the minnesota lynx led by forward nafisa collier what i think makes the links so special
00:07:25is our chemistry it is so rare having that true like sisterhood like deep connection i haven't
00:07:33experienced that since college and so i think that is such a strength for us
00:07:37and i just can't express like how rare that is to find in professional sports
00:07:41minnesota has like very long history of greatness they won four championships congratulations to the
00:07:47links a fourth title in the last seven years as the dynasty continues in minnesota we want to win
00:07:54we don't care about individual accolades we want to win the bigger goal which is a championship and so
00:07:59that brings us together it unites us we are carving out a new chapter for this team while honoring what
00:08:04got us here you have kind of teams that you know are going to be hard teams to beat every
00:08:08time in vegas
00:08:09i just won the 2023 championship we knew it was going to be a hard game and so that was
00:08:14definitely one
00:08:15that you know you have to come ready to play
00:08:28tip is up and the aces will take it these fans on their feet
00:08:32this is going to be a fun game to watch because both these teams like to spread the floor and
00:08:38shoot
00:08:49the long ball from the jump asia's talent is on full display but her trusted point guard chelsea gray
00:08:55was injured and on the bench and the aces struggled to get their footing against collier and point guard
00:09:01courtney williams they go outside to collier and she sticks the first one
00:09:10williams rattles another jumper down
00:09:15becky hammond not liking how the team got started this quarter aggressiveness was just
00:09:21kind of the name of the game i took the opportunities when they were opening
00:09:25wasn't hesitant at all just trying to will us to win the game
00:09:30well the aces are getting beat by basic fundamental moves shot fakes and then drive and attack long
00:09:36stride from club and heineman spots it out of there oh and a little talking on the interior
00:09:44kind of technical oh that's pretty basketball right there
00:09:51asia finishes the game 28 points and eight rebounds but it's not enough to fend off the minnesota links
00:10:012024 was kind of the first year that my team was even beating vegas at all the years before that
00:10:06they would always win those games and it was like a blow up for a lot of those times so
00:10:09through the years
00:10:10you know we started getting more talent we started being more competitive in those games there was just
00:10:15an energy and a sense of oh bet we're about to prove something to everybody and anybody
00:10:21that just trickled top down through that links roster
00:10:27in 2024 the aces and the links dominated the western conference but in the east it was the new
00:10:34york liberty the new york liberty with back-to-back wins theresa weatherscore drives all is going right
00:10:42for the liberty right now
00:10:45the liberty will remain undefeated as one of the original wmba franchises the new york liberty have
00:10:53never won a wmba title with new ownership and investment the liberty is poised as a real threat
00:11:01with their big three brianna stuart sabrina unescu and jonquil jones
00:11:09new york liberty center jonquil jones
00:11:13and jonquil jones is physical six foot six could shoot the three could move was dangerous in the
00:11:21pick and pop and then on the defensive end she was a nightmare to play against
00:11:37the new york city man it's the last two years it's been amazing
00:11:42watch out for this though i really do think i've fallen more in love with the city this year
00:11:51the relationship with the fans is amazing they really love us
00:11:54they respect us they want that championship in new york as badly as we want it it's just all love
00:12:00from them it's all positive energy you feel it everywhere you go in the city
00:12:04i feel like every bohemian kid had this before in their life like we had the little basketball
00:12:08court where you take um like the milk crates and you knock the bottoms out of the milk crate
00:12:12and then you hammer it on like a piece of wood and then you like put it up on the
00:12:16pole outside and
00:12:16that was like that was like my first ever basketball hoopman i used to be up all night shooting until
00:12:21like the lights came on um with my little glow-in-the-dark basketball so i feel like those were
00:12:25like the
00:12:25moments where i really fell in love with the game i think the amount of sacrifice is undervalued for
00:12:33players that choose their dreams over what's comfortable jonquil jones at the age of 13 decided
00:12:39to leave her home of the bahamas and go to the united states and pursue her dream
00:12:56well it's a big group it's exciting time uh starting a new season what we did in year one
00:13:04is not very easy to do and we almost won aces by one 8.8 to go in the fourth
00:13:12quarter
00:13:13let's go we got to be better shoot with confidence let's go let's go
00:13:19yonescu to inbound trying to get it to stewart dunks it in stewart juggles
00:13:24catches six seconds left stewart with five draws the double lady to the corner
00:13:34the liberty battled through the playoffs in 2023 only to come up short and losing
00:13:41to the las vegas aces and the pain of that loss is still fresh we have another opportunity come
00:13:49back and let's be better knowing will it be easy no i feel completely different night and day from
00:13:58what i felt you know this time last year the beginning of last season we came and we didn't
00:14:02really know each other this year just feels completely different new york built a team
00:14:09to go head to head to dethrone vegas and i think in year one they didn't necessarily have the chemistry
00:14:16that was needed to actually get it done how many times do we watch tnt and charles barkley is saying
00:14:22something i'm with shaq saying how many rings you got took how many rings you got check because like
00:14:26that's what people care about in sports is the rings i said this before and i'll say it again
00:14:31like i'll sacrifice every personal accolade that i've ever had as as a professional in the league
00:14:35for a championship because at the end of the day like that's the main goal the chemistry of basketball
00:14:40is both delicate fragile but also strong when it is built properly it takes time
00:15:04game number four for both of these teams underway
00:15:09but he always a great crowd here in barclays
00:15:13skim to jj
00:15:17there's a pop gold on the end of the three
00:15:22the liberty came into 2024 with a hunger that was visible in every game they played
00:15:27and they stayed at the top of the standings for most of the season
00:15:30i let my mind run wild wild i let my dreams run wild
00:15:35i let my thoughts
00:15:36seattle storm are four-time wmba champions but they are no match for jj's stellar interior play
00:15:45look at the strength the poise and patience from jj on that the footwork the mobility
00:15:50the step through the touch the finesse the strength the interior play
00:16:01it's been a clinic in the paint by jonquil jones
00:16:07and new york
00:16:10remains unbeaten it's a long season we're only four games in but we have i mean we have wonderful
00:16:16offensive players and we've got so much more we know we can continue to grow and that's what excites
00:16:21me ultimately it's it's about us and how we play and what we want to do and we know that
00:16:26if we kind of execute the game plan and we come out there the way that we want to like
00:16:29we can beat any team in this league
00:16:32the new york liberty and las vegas aces may have dominated the fight for the wmba title
00:16:38but the 2024 rookie class including caitlin clark and angel reese brought an entire new young
00:16:46fan base to the wmba thanks in part to the surging popularity of ncaa women's basketball
00:16:53the media went so far as to label the explosive growth as the caitlin clark effect numbers indicate
00:17:02that caitlin clark's fan base has helped double wmba viewership it was the hard to miss rivalry
00:17:10that started in college that followed caitlin clark and angel reese into the pros during the 2023 season
00:17:18caitlin clark was known to do the john cena you can't see me anytime she hit a big three or
00:17:25a big
00:17:26bucket late down the stretch during the ncaa tournament in 2023 before angel reese walked
00:17:31off the court she made sure to do the john cena back in front of caitlin clark's face and that
00:17:38moment went
00:17:54viral i'm honestly not one that sets like huge individual goals like that's never really been
00:17:59something that i've done so i think the biggest thing is just continue to be me and that's got me
00:18:03a long way and have a lot of fun playing this game and then give myself grace no cutting corners
00:18:08no
00:18:09cutting corners you got really close the test for the rookies is how quickly you can adjust to the
00:18:14speed and the physicality of the game not only are you battling in between the lines but outside of the
00:18:20lines you're adjusting to becoming a professional playing against some of the best players in the
00:18:24world and conducting yourself in front of the eyeballs of millions of people
00:18:34i feel like obviously we're the most inexperienced group in the league but like everybody just wants
00:18:39to get better they know there's you know so much potential for this group it's just kind of getting
00:18:42it to all gel together i think the culture here is is really special and for me coming to the
00:18:53city
00:18:53you can just feel the fan support you can feel everybody's excitement around this team and what
00:18:57this summer is going to bring today is another sellout for the fever 17 274 fans in five home
00:19:05games this season now they have surpassed their total attendance from all 20 home games a season ago
00:19:13i really hope to help this organization win a lot um i feel like that's been something i've been able
00:19:18to do it you know every single level i've played at yup boom hey coming into the league this rookie
00:19:27class i mean was something that was going to be generational the chicago sky select angel reese
00:19:38good job everybody great job everybody great job we really are excited for you being a part of us
00:19:44thank you for believing in me i'm excited to come and work and get better and i want to win
00:19:49we're
00:19:50guess what like everybody's standing here right now we're gonna win i know we could change women's
00:19:55basketball for the better i mean for a very long time these women deserve this there's been so much
00:20:00talent so many great players that i've watched over the years and they didn't get the attention that
00:20:03they deserve and i think it's just going to continue to grow so i'm really excited for the league right
00:20:08me and caitlin have been playing against each other since we were kids it's just a full circle
00:20:13moment of how women are viewed when it comes to trash talking and it's okay immense and men's sports so
00:20:18we're going to normalize that in women's sports as well so it's just super competitive i think
00:20:22we're two great competitors we brought a lot of fans to this league and i thought we're going to
00:20:26continue to do that i want this team to go amazing places and i came to chicago to leave an
00:20:30impact so
00:20:30i'm excited you know that angel reese is going to do two things she's going to score and she's
00:20:35going to get them rebound she's got a nose for the basketball that is undeniable she gets to the
00:20:40boards and that is a skill that is respected and gives folks longevity in the course of their career
00:20:45and so i've been impressed one of the most anticipated matchups was none other than angel reese
00:20:50in the chicago sky versus caitlin clark and the indiana fever
00:21:06you know this is fun like these are the type of games that people get really excited about i'm
00:21:10guessing they're going to be like our best crowd we've had of all year i'm excited to be here
00:21:14i love this tomorrow it's going to be crazy tonight i think it's probably going to be a slowdown
00:21:17crowd something that's a great thing for the basketball in indianapolis indiana the caitlin clark
00:21:23and angel reese fans are out and excited for their first matchup in the pros so much hype so much
00:21:33attention around these two young women who have delivered on the floor through their first handful
00:21:38of games in the rookie seasons first w nba meeting between angel reese and caitlin clark
00:21:48clark connects both teams went to work angel with her incredible defense and caitlin
00:21:54showcasing her deep three-pointers scoring eight points in the first half with four assists
00:21:59and three rebounds
00:22:13he always is like i don't know how far back i'm pulling from yes you do caitlin because you're
00:22:17nuts you're literally nuts through the lane reverses it in and beats the shot clock get back in there
00:22:25and do what you do but we in here all right by the third quarter the intensity on the court
00:22:30was palpable
00:22:34with the teams both neck and neck on the scoreboard
00:22:42they've redoubled off to carter her jumper is good kennedy carter now with 12 points off the bench
00:22:52maybe that's clearly a foul which was called the question is will they call it unnecessary kennedy
00:23:02carter reffs called a regular foul on kennedy carter for the shove into caitlin and then later upgraded
00:23:08it to a flagrant one foul we're talking about how coming into this game you guys had to be more
00:23:13physical a little bit more hungry did you get any type of understanding from the officials on how you
00:23:17guys are doing that at this point yeah that's just not a basketball play but that's what basketball
00:23:22is about at this level so you know got to play through it they were seeking their first home win
00:23:27in the two-point game into the backcourt for wheeler someone's got to get two or they can't
00:23:33wheeler trying to waste the clock up to clark clark throws it up in the air indiana has its first
00:23:41home
00:23:41win of the season the fever sky matchup lived up to the hype and the fever pulled out the wind
00:23:48by just
00:23:49one point caitlin how have you tried to compartmentalize the way in which the hard fouls are being tolerated
00:23:54with you right now the targeted fouls it is what it is it was an intense game but the media
00:24:03zeroed in on the foul
00:24:05the press took a protective tone with caitlin but some argued that the tone was not extended to other
00:24:12players do you have any regrets on how it happened and everything that's happened since then um i don't
00:24:18have any regrets with anything i'm going to compete and play 100 hard no matter who it is like i
00:24:23said or
00:24:24who we're playing no no i don't have any regrets so there are a lot of people who took that
00:24:29physicality
00:24:29in in the fever game and we're like this could be a turning point for the wmba in terms of
00:24:35how people
00:24:35talk about physicality i think everybody's always physical i mean i got choked and yoked up y'all didn't
00:24:41say y'all listen to me what angel's referring to here is a lesser-known foul on her just one
00:24:47week
00:24:47earlier from veteran elissa thomas angel reese was clotheslined and taken to the floor
00:24:55but you see you see angel reese trying to come in oh there she had her hand around angel reese
00:25:01it was called a flagrant two and thomas was ejected from the game
00:25:08the media did respond to the foul on angel but it was not the press frenzy of the kennedy caitlin
00:25:14foul
00:25:15angel reese is a baltimore maryland native she's had some of this stuff happen before she's gonna be
00:25:21fine she's tough uh i saw that and i thought to myself ooh wee that's not basketball that's not a
00:25:32basketball play that's dangerous that's that i don't even i don't even think they do that move i'm
00:25:37trying to tell you that's wwe right there this first month of media coverage set in motion a broader
00:25:43discussion about physicality in the league i think it's about how people are reacting
00:25:49to the physicality of the wmba um and how it affects caitlin clark and i think that's why
00:25:54we're talking about it okay as you goes to the basket oh my gosh i mean they gotta call that
00:25:59she just got clipped in the face because otherwise if it's any other player we're not talking about it
00:26:07kennedy carter's behavior is not indicative of the entire league we are still talking about
00:26:12competition where you are allowed to get a little extra elbow in if you are competing and you do it
00:26:17within the parameters of the game the game is physical caitlin is helping to grow the league
00:26:21these women understand that but she cannot be babied as a rookie that's all i'm at
00:26:50that's the other thing either of you can call it both
00:26:53you honor it winning teams sort of have a cadence a glue that allows them to stay in their roles
00:27:00to be who they are and when one player is missing you feel it there you go there you go
00:27:08better
00:27:10a month into the season after 11 games the aces have a six and five record as a competitor and
00:27:17obviously someone who's done a lot accomplished a lot how hard has it been for you to sit and watch
00:27:21the games you've had to sit and watch yes the competitor in me is like chomping at the bit since
00:27:28october chelsea gray she's gonna be up there with one of the best point guards to play in the league
00:27:33when it's all said and done without question she helps them get going she facilitates a lot of their
00:27:38offense and so that kind of threw them off a bit i mean any time chelsea doesn't get up it's
00:27:44a blow
00:27:44to everyone it takes the wind out of me it takes the wind out of our team when it comes
00:27:51to when
00:27:51there's a will there's a way i feel like there has to be a picture of chelsea and it's like
00:27:55all
00:27:55right just give her time to figure it out then once she figures it out she can join the huddle
00:27:58again
00:27:59and we go from there we don't ever let any doubt slip into our locker room or into our minds
00:28:04individually we have great people on our roster and on our team that understand the assignment there
00:28:12and our rematch of last year's finals between the liberty and the aces the liberty this superstar
00:28:21team that was built to go head to head with the las vegas aces for as heralded as that aces
00:28:27team is
00:28:27considering what they have been able to do back to back the liberty not today was the sentiment they
00:28:33weren't going to be denied this time around especially not by the same opponent have some
00:28:38nba stars in the building bam out of bio damian lillard lebron james you see lebron's wife savannah
00:28:44there as well rich paul here we go the rivalry renewed the aces and the liberty underway the las
00:28:52vegas aces asia wilson new york liberty jonquil jones jones and wilson tussling asia wilson flips it in
00:29:00a little scream afterwards when the aces are in sync they're incredible to watch
00:29:07like the energy is there
00:29:13and the game tied at 30 and 8-0 vegas run
00:29:21asia wilson is the most dominant player in the league right now i think anything in the middle
00:29:26it's great for us really nice patience by the liberty
00:29:3311-0 run from new york here's plum to the corner stokes three off but midway through this game the
00:29:43aces didn't look like the aces he looked really undisciplined here and there and like you can't
00:29:48be undisciplined in this league particularly against this team whoa you didn't let me catch my breath
00:29:52y'all gotta stop doing this so we can't catch our breath and round one in 2024 goes to the
00:29:58new york
00:29:59liberty if you're an aces fan you have to be thinking once gray comes back they certainly
00:30:05certainly still will be a championship contender it's just a matter of when it all humps together
00:30:10we look unorganized we look undisciplined and there's just zero consistency
00:30:17you've never died away from taking accountability what do you feel you need to do is it at practice
00:30:23leading your team or is it you personally on the court when it comes to wins the office
00:30:29when i tell you i break this game down piece and piece because i don't want to be great for
00:30:34you guys
00:30:34no offense and i want to be great for my team i want to be great for this franchise i'm
00:30:40not going
00:30:40back down ever yeah
00:30:51women athletes have always had to fight for everything
00:30:55like i can remember showing up the first time at recess and
00:30:59i'm the tallest thing in fifth grade and i was picked almost second to last and you almost have
00:31:05to always prove yourself the pursuit of the championship starts the minute the season begins
00:31:11but the truth is it starts much earlier every wmba player has spent years of their life pursuing excellence
00:31:21and championships it's great for the younger girls who can dream and know that they have a vehicle to
00:31:28make those dreams come true now with the women's nba and that they can one day play professionally here
00:31:32and that's huge for them because in the past the opportunity hadn't been there let's just be honest
00:31:37the opportunity of title nine opened the doors for thousands of women to have the opportunity to play a sport
00:31:46we got pro leagues because of title nine you have to have a pipeline that trains and develops your
00:31:54talented players gives them an opportunity to play at a high level the girls who've grown up today
00:31:59feel like sports are their birthright as much as they're the birthright of their brothers
00:32:04and i would also argue that a lot of their brothers think the same thing the rookies always had the
00:32:10legends of the w as role models who showed them what was possible maybe it's true if you can see
00:32:17it
00:32:17you can be it the media frenzy over caitlyn and angel drove eyeballs to the fever sky second matchup
00:32:29well meeting number one has added to the intrigue and interest today i think it's safe to say that
00:32:34meeting number two will not disappoint clark gets freedom from up top this crowd is really behind
00:32:43them these teams are so well matched and so heavily scrutinized angel reese snatches it out of the air
00:32:50puts it back body bucket and one angel reese she's a competitor she's not going to give up
00:32:58she can rebound she can score clark with the basketball sets it back from three
00:33:03knocks the towel kaitlyn clark her skill set she can give you skill she can give you range people don't
00:33:09talk about how great of a facilitator she is getting her teammates involved clark with the kick out to
00:33:15samuelson and the end clock sat at zero here comes reese splitting the difference angel was a force in the
00:33:23post equally of a tough shot kaitlyn clark's shot and caitlyn's clean and accurate passes made her an elite playmaker
00:33:38the fever make the sky pay
00:33:44good evening and welcome for the wnba commissioners cup championship
00:33:52this is the fourth commissioner's cup in season tournament this year just brought a heck of a
00:33:57matchup the commissioner's cup is the best of the east and the best of the west
00:34:03vying for a 500 000 prize and a donation to the team's charity of choice
00:34:10the new york liberty won the 2023 commissioners cup and are heavily favored to win again
00:34:18the liberty will face the minnesota links to the commissioner's cup i don't know if you guys know
00:34:22the history of the commissioner's cup whoever's in the commissioner's cup has been in the finals
00:34:27that's not a guarantee just because we're here tonight right we got a long way to go but let's keep
00:34:32making them talk about the links the reality is is that we a brand new team full of brand new
00:34:40pieces
00:34:40going against teams that have been together for longer than we have you don't just get a group
00:34:47together in one year and you make it to the commissioners cup that's kind of unheard of so
00:34:53people being surprised was expected i was surprised myself
00:35:08i approach the liberty the same way i approach any other team at the end of the day when you
00:35:12step
00:35:13on that flow it's free game for anybody all the accolades and all what the world think of you all
00:35:19that's out the window you gotta tie your shoes up just like i tie mine up
00:35:27and the tip going to new york and the liberty looking to be the first team to go back to
00:35:33back
00:35:33as champions of the commissioners cup we just match up really well to the liberty just like
00:35:41position by position we felt like we matched really well boy the pace of this game is is back
00:35:46and forth both teams shooting the ball very well i'm in the gym for a reason i put them reps
00:35:51in for
00:35:52a reason so i gotta trust the work that i put in another opportunity here for the links williams
00:35:58another long two i always think the next shot going in i always think we got a chance to win
00:36:04the turnover by the liberty and they're frustrated
00:36:10hmm so that's the way i think the links taking a six point edge into the fourth
00:36:16i honestly feel like whatever it takes to win that's what you need to do
00:36:26the links take a six point lead in the fourth quarter
00:36:34that is a shot that has started to hit hot for pollier we in the game with less than a
00:36:41second left
00:36:42corney williams starts to celebrate the prize money that's all i knew from that game i don't even remember
00:36:47nothing else we ain't no winning and minnesota 2024 missing their top champs and the links take the title
00:36:58and the cash did the link surprise people yeah because at this point we're in the thick of
00:37:05the aces liberty rivalry if you will yeah we just beat a super team you know how hard that is
00:37:09to do
00:37:09because you guys love your super teams man are you a believer now man you got to talk about us
00:37:14now
00:37:14i probably would have never been a winner i don't know y'all like i think people need to talk
00:37:19about
00:37:19the minnesota links a little bit more than they are 2024 was a season of first all around the best
00:37:29behind the scenes first chartered flights previously players traveled on commercial flights hundreds of
00:37:37tall bodies and middle seats even after championship games
00:37:43as the season continues the bonds between the players get even tighter
00:37:52here we go this is a tough league but at the end of the day they look out for each
00:37:57other all right
00:37:58let me give you the tea this i guess dejanay got the tech for standing over jalen but then jalen
00:38:02pushed back like that so she also got tech all right so up there you can see the players running
00:38:05in
00:38:05to intervene and so is ellie this is a shared experience the most elite league in the entire
00:38:10world history history for angel reese 10 straight double doubles for the first time in league history
00:38:19and the first triple double for a rookie caitlin clark has it more history for the femur rookie
00:38:29they have been able to thrive so much it's directly reflective of just how powerful women are
00:38:37starting to get a little noise here in the house the aces welcome chelsea gray a.k.a point god
00:38:44back from the injured links have found their form jumping to the top of the western conference
00:38:49with an exciting brand of high-octane hoops my life and watching like boys play it's fun to watch
00:38:55girls also play okay we got a feminist the liberty are in first place as of today will they still
00:39:02be
00:39:02there at the end of the regular season who is your favorite place right i'm gonna ask you again and
00:39:08just remember that i am a player too and my name is sydney colson who is your favorite player patelyn
00:39:13clark so even with that information your answer pretty much remain the same the aces have turned the
00:39:19corner since chelsea gray returned they are four and oh yeah they're a fifth taste team but take a
00:39:26deep breath and remember it just struck july hold on hold on hold on hold on one last thing one
00:39:33last
00:39:33thing that we got to announce really fast we got an all-star in the building
00:39:39in an olympic year the best of the w was split into two camps team usa versus team wmba
00:39:51finding out you're an all-star is a career highlight i mean i felt love as soon as i walked
00:39:56in
00:39:56being able to see all the women here and being able to be selected with them is really cool
00:40:00and i just love being here so i'm excited this exhibition is a three-day celebration with a
00:40:11celebrity studded orange carpet the energy surrounding the wmba this year is unprecedented
00:40:21we have never seen anything like the attendance the ratings and the interest and it's in large part
00:40:27because of this rookie class and fans were excited to see caitlin and angel play on the same team
00:40:33for the first time ever well first of all the energy in this building is incredible but yes we've
00:40:39had it a handful of times in the history of the league where we get the national team going against
00:40:43all-stars it's competitive from jumping i love it it's gonna be competitive and we are underway
00:40:52cheers today
00:40:52kately clark guarding chelsea gray here's terrasi up indian election the hometown hero opens the game
00:41:01with a three-pointer there's britney griner the two-time defensive player of the year
00:41:09you know when ajoro willson starts hitting threes enough when they hit about yeah there's nothing left to do
00:41:14as a defense but only play all-star game is always something for the fans i think that the
00:41:18fans was very happy to see angel and caitlin on the same team angel reese and caitlin clark
00:41:23now on the floor together for the very first time there's clark ahead of the field caitlin
00:41:31clark has her first all-star points angel reese what is she surrounded by three white jerseys and
00:41:39it doesn't matter agumawale he's on fire reese running the floor oh what a task john 12 jones
00:41:51on the money to reese here's clark thinking about a bomb the hesitation the take the lead
00:41:57reese delay cart to reese what you've been waiting for the rookie connection caitlin clark to angel reese
00:42:08and we'll do it what a show here in phoenix as team wmba wins it angel it's one thing for
00:42:16rookies to
00:42:17make this all-star squad but to come in here and have a double double and make a huge difference
00:42:21how were you able to be so fantastic yeah i just wanted to leave my mark one day i want
00:42:26to be able
00:42:26to be a usa member i want to be able to be with that team so it was an honor
00:42:30to come out there and play
00:42:31play against them coming off the bench i just wanted to bring as much energy as i could the all
00:42:34-stars
00:42:35beat team usa but i think that the focus for team usa was just to use the all-star game
00:42:41as a warm-up for
00:42:43the competition that they had coming up
00:42:47team usa headed to paris for the 2024 olympics earning a historic eighth gold medal with breakout
00:42:58performances by veterans asia wilson brianna stuart nafisa collier and diana terasi who personally
00:43:06walked away with her sixth gold medal in 1996 i sat as a young girl on the couch and watched
00:43:13women
00:43:13completely dominate the atlanta olympics the 1996 u.s olympic women's basketball team's dominance was
00:43:23actually the catalyst for the nba starting the wmba i am pleased to announce that the board of
00:43:29governors approves the concept of the nba establishing the women's national basketball
00:43:36association welcome to the player selection for the wmba's inaugural season the wmba officially tipped
00:43:43off in 1997. the league started with eight teams and the first game was the new york liberty versus the
00:43:50la sparks in a festive atmosphere here in los angeles expecting a crowd of some 12 000 people
00:43:55all of them here to witness the latest chapter in the history of women's sports the debut of the
00:44:02wmba when i think about the legends the pioneers that literally built this league they understood
00:44:09their responsibility as being the first and they didn't want it to fail fans cheered for those early
00:44:16champions cheryl swoops don staley lisa leslie rebecca lobo cynthia cooper and tina thompson
00:44:26the excitement built an audience all over the country especially in houston where the comments won
00:44:32four straight championship titles the media celebrated the early 2000 players like shamequa
00:44:40holsklau diana tarassi and sue bird oh my bird gives it to lauren jackson and shamequa holsklau was
00:44:49a monster in the mid-range shamequa you are the feature player the early 2010s were defined by
00:44:56simone augustus and the rise of maya moore whose dominance led the minnesota links to multiple
00:45:04championships these women were legends on the court and off i just feel like the wma has always been at
00:45:12the forefront of change not only in its own league but also within society in 2002 sue wicks became the
00:45:20first woman in the wma to come out as gay cheryl swoops and shamequa holsklau soon followed it was a
00:45:28time when few public figures were out and job security and public opinion were on the line others
00:45:35would follow and their bravery marked the beginning of greater lgbtq plus visibility in 2014 the wmba
00:45:43became the first u.s professional sports league to recognize pride month as a league-wide initiative
00:45:50officially stepping into its role as a cultural influencer if you look at this league they know
00:45:57it is their responsibility to champion themselves and their communities before anyone else the athletes
00:46:07of the w use their platform and high profiles to protest police violence racism and unjust fear of
00:46:18black males and disregard of black females is very real
00:46:36my life matters my life matters matters matters matters they had a lot to lose
00:46:45and they put themselves out there that was a risk and you have to salute them for that some people
00:46:52felt that if you spoke up that we would lose fans but in that year viewership skyrocketed 68 percent
00:47:01in the wmba i'm proud that we're the majority of the minority in this country and i think even when
00:47:07our voices shook we want to give voice to the communities that we represent and that we come from
00:47:18the back half of the wmba season is grueling august is a beast you're playing every single day you're
00:47:26playing every other day you're practicing you're traveling and those players that have played season
00:47:31after season in the wmba understand the importance of every game but also the understand the importance
00:47:36of pushing through that grueling part of the season on august 23rd nafisa collier gave a historic
00:47:44performance against the las vegas aces the depth of the experience in the w comes through when she
00:47:50became the first wmba player to post 27 points 15 plus rebounds five plus assists shooting 70 percent
00:47:59from the field she out rebounded the entire opposing team a new career high by collier
00:48:08and top it up with a three have a night fee
00:48:15a new career high dad is proud her husband alex right there watching nafisa collier
00:48:25now weeks away from the end of the season the sky are on the bubble of making it to the
00:48:30playoffs
00:48:31on september 6th they faced off with the la sparks in a decision-making game
00:48:40what a pass inside from carter to angel reese
00:48:48angel reese's rookie season is over unfortunately she suffered a season-ending injury injury was in
00:48:56fact her risk and occurred in their september 6th game versus los angeles i am out for the season i
00:49:04fell on my hand and it is a small crack in my bone i give myself grace i'm so happy
00:49:11for my
00:49:12year i had high expectations coming into the season she has exceeded them there's a good rookie season
00:49:19there's a great one and then there's historic angel you have been historic
00:49:27wilson steps it back swish asia wilson she needs two more 27 points and just two away from a thousand
00:49:38on the bench or holding up two fingers they want this to be number one thousand for asia wilson the
00:49:46fader
00:49:49asia wilson set the bar by becoming the first player to score a thousand points in one season
00:49:57the compelling players of the 2024 season drew in fans like a magnet and by the end of the regular
00:50:05season the sustained success exploded in every category from merchandise to attendance and viewership
00:50:18the heels of record attendance at games and soaring viewer numbers stub hub says ticket sales are up
00:50:25six-fold compared to last year's first round nielsen reports the games average 1.2 million viewers which is
00:50:32up guys 170 the first round of the wba playoffs are a best of three series eight teams that will
00:50:41quickly get down to four the sun are consistently in the playoffs but the fever they haven't made it
00:50:48since 2016. it's the most anticipated playoff debut ever in this league caitlin struggled to
00:50:55score from the perimeter she was able to get to the rim a few times and finish inside but she
00:51:00didn't
00:51:01have her typical performance from the outside indiana fighting for its season connecticut looking to close
00:51:08things out tonight and here we go here's clark through the lane clark able to serve it in 10 points
00:51:15for the fever by game two their championship aspirations were over i know what it's like
00:51:23to feel the pressure of that rookie year with all eyes of the world on you caitlin clark had a
00:51:31milestone
00:51:32rookie season achievement after achievement plus a playoff run
00:51:39and the exhilarating rookie run of caitlin clark ends tonight in connecticut her season will go down
00:51:48in the history books my mindset going into the first game of playoffs against the mercury it's
00:52:01like when you take a test like if you study you're going to be confident going into it if you're
00:52:04not
00:52:04you're going to be nervous and that's how i kind of approached the game of course i didn't go in
00:52:09thinking like i'm going to score almost 40 points today what a performance from the visa call you're a
00:52:14career-high 38.9 i mean she was fantastic oh beautiful fee paulier getting loose for the deuce tarassi
00:52:32the lynx knocked out the mercury and what ended up being diana tarassi's last game of her career
00:52:40dt made her mark on this game and went out as the all-time leader in scoring in wmba history
00:52:48meanwhile on the east coast the new york liberty beat the atlanta dream
00:52:53the new york liberty are headed back to the semifinals
00:52:58and in the west the aces eliminated the seattle storm defending champions are able to hold on
00:53:05against a very feisty storm team
00:53:10eight teams are down to four now the semifinals four teams battling in a best of five series
00:53:19after we beat the mercury we have connecticut next i knew that was going to be a hard series it
00:53:24had been
00:53:25hard all season playing them each game that we played them was exhausting like it is just such
00:53:30a battle so physical they have such talented people you know elissa thomas was in contention for mvp
00:53:36so i knew it was going to be hard and we talked to several players and coaches and they expect
00:53:41kind
00:53:41of a knockdown drag out series
00:53:50and the connecticut sun get one in minnesota and it was just like a dog fight it was exactly how
00:53:56hard
00:53:56i knew it was going to be
00:54:04past two years maybe three we always lost to connecticut in the playoffs like they were the
00:54:08hurdle that we could not get past each game you come out exhausted but i knew the potential that
00:54:13this team had we just had to show it connecticut and minnesota play in a winner take all game five
00:54:20there's williams the terrific early score the piece of collier collier collier it was a fight to the
00:54:27finish but the links came out on top beating connecticut felt amazing it was just so hard earned
00:54:36connecticut is such a great team like you got to work for every game you got to work for every
00:54:41win
00:54:41and when you work for something it's so much sweeter when you get it
00:54:45in the semi-finals the liberty faced the aces
00:54:51fans they are so excited for the playoffs that tip off later today
00:54:55asia wilson and the las vegas aces they are going for a three-peat so can they do it
00:55:02what can vegas do differently make it more difficult yeah they're going to rebound okay
00:55:08they can do all of that okay but what are we going to do come up yeah i love that
00:55:13exactly yeah come up
00:55:15vegas lights camera action two-time mvp at this point new york on the come up the city that never
00:55:21sleeps like the energy is there here we go game one of this best of five series all roads led
00:55:27to this
00:55:27what a concept super teams in the wmba by the time we get to 2024
00:55:37wilson dances inside for two on the other end
00:55:41aji wilson still able to drain it
00:55:46jones alone
00:55:51jonquo jones no look hooked to the corner
00:55:55fevis
00:55:57wilson gets denied by jones and the new york liberty take game one
00:56:04at corkley center now vegas and the liberty game two but esku turns the corner kids hitting
00:56:12here's laney hamilton with the answer new york take a commanding 2-0 series lead
00:56:33aji wilson
00:56:36aji wilson
00:56:38but that will do it
00:56:42i would be scared of the aces honestly this is the aces team who is focused they want their
00:56:49look back we'll see gets ready and connects but it was the sentiment that the liberty weren't gonna
00:56:56let this happen again jones to three you get it yeah it was extremely intense we're playing really
00:57:03hard and it's playoff basketball it's physical jones working hard taking it in honor for the bucket and
00:57:09the bow come on they're beating us at our gates jones will take and take not today was the sentiment
00:57:17they weren't going to be denied this time around especially not by the same opponent
00:57:21ionescu gets free
00:57:25from deep her fifth three of the day and the new york liberty have knocked off the las vegas aces
00:57:34the liberty are headed back to the wmba finals the aces came out strong but this round went to the
00:57:44liberty
00:57:48i don't think the fact that the aces are not the last team standing takes away anything from what
00:57:52aja is able to do
00:57:57i would love to have my name mentioned in conversations when you're talking about the
00:58:01greatest women's basketball player to ever play i would love my name to be in that conversation but
00:58:06in my eyes i still have a lot more that i have to do to even be in that conversation
00:58:09for as good as
00:58:11asia wilson was earning her third mvp i'm sure that she would probably have swapped out that
00:58:16individual record for a team championship but she's a young woman still early in her career with
00:58:21more accolades than most finish their career with so go to training heavy on the in training
00:58:27i mean yeah the outcome is not what we wanted and the repeats are hard it's hard as hell every
00:58:31team
00:58:32looks different your team looks different nothing's the same it just sucks it stings uh but i'm very
00:58:38proud about the group that we had let's get the chip has been too long ready new york need you
00:59:00what a time to be alive as the kids say what a time to be a new york sports fan
00:59:04we say the 2024
00:59:06wmba finals was highly anticipated viewership was up fans were excited and everyone was tuned in to
00:59:16watch the links versus the new york liberty in 27 years the liberty had never brought a championship
00:59:25to new york okay ladies back where we belong we've worked our butts off to earn the right to play
00:59:34for
00:59:34not the championship everyone knew the new york liberty were going to go to the finals but then
00:59:40when it came to minnesota links no one no one absolutely no one had them going to the finals
00:59:49facing a team like the minnesota links your approach has to be um consistency they're a team that just
00:59:54really makes you play on all different levels they make you scramble as soon as you make a mistake
00:59:59to capitalize on it and so just playing really smart basketball we put in the work and so the mindset
01:00:05is coming in and hopefully making our statement in game one going to be a long series and it's going
01:00:09to be a battle you should already feel the electricity here at barclays center w nba finals the new york
01:00:18liberty
01:00:23the new york wins the tip
01:00:31here we go the 2024 w nba finals are underway as new york wins the tip
01:00:50we know what it feels like to get punched in game one and have to kind of crawl your way
01:00:54out of
01:00:54that and so we're all really hungry yonescu she got it coming in the first come on that's all they
01:01:04got
01:01:04we got more we got more i think they went up on us by like 15. like they was like
01:01:09dog walking up the
01:01:10whole game but we know it only take us one run to turn the top here's oh you're for two
01:01:16what a comeback from the links boom we just started getting that we started going crazy
01:01:23minnesota is scary to watch because it's so tough to defend them they move the ball around they get
01:01:28everybody to their best spots and they make you pay it's like a three-point game
01:01:35in the game crowd on its feet at barclays inbound to smith smith gives it up to collier mcgride with
01:01:4413 seconds left williams boys can't hit land go get the rebound boom i'm calling the reset but the
01:01:52rest don't call my reset land get the ball she throw it back out to me and i'm like i
01:01:58gotta let
01:01:58it be fly again williams i let that bit fly sabrina found me boom connect cash tie the game up
01:02:10courtney hits a insane three like i've never seen that before
01:02:15matt look me straight in my eyes she like you better hit this free throw
01:02:20and i said i got you williams an 81 free throw shooter hits the free throw and minnesota has its
01:02:31first lead of the game and then all of a sudden we're back in the game one second to go
01:02:38jonescu has
01:02:39to get it in finds stewart underneath she's smothered and it's over no a foul is called nefisa collier
01:02:48gets her on the left arm absolutely this is a foul and brianna stewart who thought the game was over
01:02:55initially is going to go to the line you're just focusing on making the first one making the first
01:03:06one and then the second one um this for the lead
01:03:16and we have overtime in game one you don't win a game until the clock hits zero williams a three
01:03:25you bet it's court's court in brooklyn carlton to trigger in
01:03:35finding smith jones comes up with the steal jones ties it 93 all tied at 93
01:03:54and minnesota with a miracle game one win 95 93 minnesota should have lost game one
01:04:05you know two more come on we snuck that one out like we stole that game it was awesome
01:04:11well come on man it's a huge win for us man i'm so happy for us i'm so proud of
01:04:15our group
01:04:16kevin gave up
01:04:26this game epitomizes this group your resiliency is what defines you your ability to not hang your head
01:04:34but they didn't award us a championship tonight we got one win they were really physical correct
01:04:41they played harder than us played effort they were moving us around we were very inefficient with
01:04:46how we played but it's a series okay they took home court we have to be better than what we
01:04:51showed
01:04:52today look i think they took us out of what we wanted to run they were really aggressive and we
01:04:56just got a little bit stagnant but we'll get ready for game two and come back strong
01:05:06well as they have built a super team here in new york barclays has become the best atmosphere in the
01:05:12entire wnba these super fans have shown up strong 17 753 fans in the first game and they're expecting an
01:05:21even
01:05:21bigger crowd
01:05:27in 2024 success showed up in so many ways for the w
01:05:33the new york liberty mascot ellie the elephant had been entertaining fans since 2021 but in 2024
01:05:41ellie went viral with her diva attitude and power dance moves she quickly moved beyond mascot status and
01:05:48into cultural influencer and fashion icon including a major spotlight in vogue ellie has reinvented how
01:05:56team mascots can contribute to a team's overall brand and marketing
01:06:10here we go here we go game two is underway as williams has it knocked away by stuart
01:06:25oh you're dating and hitting we've seen that before
01:06:30it's bench john crow jones off the steel jones lays it in for the exclamation point
01:06:38i don't remember that one because we lost
01:06:39i don't know what we came from here we go game three is underway everything we got let's go
01:06:52the playoffs nice
01:06:55the beautiful footwork in the lane here comes william
01:07:03you know they talked about it they talked about first five minutes gonna come out punching they
01:07:07punches in the face in the first quarter minnesota an eight point lead at halftime of game three
01:07:13for me it was just kind of like i was mad because we're gonna make everybody work for it heightening
01:07:19in game three stewart has the mismatch on williams stewart elevates and finishes brianna stewart with 14
01:07:27in the frame keep the pressure on them and the game is tied at 77 with 16 seconds to go
01:07:36okay okay we got it back to sabrina and the timeout sandy kind of was just like
01:07:41you're gonna shoot this shot into phoebish eight seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of game three
01:07:49four seconds four seconds jonescu will tee
01:07:57and it's hit and it's hit sabrina jonescu with the biggest shot in liberty history they are one win away
01:08:09from their very first wmba championship the craziest shot of your career so far absolutely absolutely
01:08:19finals finals game three on the road yeah yeah that's it
01:08:30the wmba finals viewership increased more than a hundred percent from the previous year
01:08:36the new york liberty fans and the minnesota fans both wanted the title minnesota now has the chance to
01:08:43become the first team to win five championship titles and to make wmba history
01:08:52game four it could end the 2024 season but all players know the hardest thing to do
01:08:59is to close out and win a championship this is a must-win game for us
01:09:04we believe that we are the better team we need to go out there and show it
01:09:09don't think about how big the moment is just think about you're playing basketball
01:09:15go out there and show them who you are
01:09:19you know when you're one win away from the wmba championship there's no rocket science to it
01:09:25just making sure everybody's ready for the hardest game of the season
01:09:29we're going to go out here's laney hamilton
01:09:32stewart another good look it'll be jones in the corner on a three williams to pull up is good
01:09:41i just remember like game four was a slugfest like it was so grueling
01:09:48williams tishy smith gets the man oh what a stunning by brianna stewart
01:09:55at this point you done played this team four times now so everybody know everybody you got
01:10:01to just go out there and just hoop you haven't had either team lead by more than five jones again
01:10:08jonquil jones trying to bring new york to the finish line
01:10:13there's been so much pressure on jonquil jones to get a championship over the years because she's
01:10:18always been right there stewart dumps it in jones plays it in puts the foul a free throw
01:10:27for me it's just always been like just sticking things through
01:10:30like no matter what it is that i was going through jonquil jones with 21.
01:10:37it was never about giving up it was like i'm where i'm supposed to be i just got to work
01:10:41a
01:10:41little bit harder tie game back to stewart 25 seconds remaining stewart stood up by smith
01:10:49shot clock at three stewart spinning taking can't hit loose ball and a shot clock violation
01:10:58stewie misses and the shot clock violation changes the game
01:11:03new york with two chances had timeouts sandy brandello did not take them and now minnesota
01:11:11can hold for a final shot williams the crossover the take is off rebound tip back and a foul
01:11:19carlton is fouled and will go to the line with a chance to put minnesota in front
01:11:31the links bridget carlton sinks two free throws everyone just knows these teams are headed back
01:11:40to new york there will be a game five sunday night in brooklyn
01:11:57so close game you know things we could have done a little bit better i think we all could
01:12:01have done better including including me getting that time out we just have to go back to new york
01:12:17win there's just been some high level basketball in these finals i feel like i have been a kid in
01:12:24a
01:12:24candy sword watching the best players in the world go at it this series such a testament to the caliber
01:12:32of
01:12:32talent in the wmba each game's a nail biter and they take the fight all the way to the end
01:12:39game five and take a look at this crowd outside of barclays center right now
01:12:49the energy of this wmba season culminates now in one of the most incredible wmba finals we've ever
01:12:56had you know it's two great teams solid defensively have dynamic scorers this is where perseverance
01:13:03grit and experience really come into play it's been a long series great series incredible series
01:13:09especially a fan but especially as a hooper i'm excited to get out there last 40 minutes of the
01:13:14season we're gonna leave it all out there we're gonna take off let's just remember all that we
01:13:21learned through this five game series what i want to be at the top of the list is the need
01:13:26for sense
01:13:26of urgency in our play right from jump i knew the potential that this team had i definitely went in
01:13:32with an aggressive mindset my goal is to win a championship nothing was going to stand in my way
01:13:38what an amazing journey we've been on to play for a wmba championship in new york on our home court
01:13:46one more time let's do it one more time we've accomplished a lot but nobody cares unless you win
01:13:52i think a championship is just the hardest thing to do and um you know so many people chase it
01:13:57and so
01:13:57many people want to have it because it really is the the pinnacle of success in the wmba
01:14:03it is
01:14:33it is
01:14:36This series, this year, has delivered in every way imaginable.
01:14:45Winner take all game five.
01:14:48Here we go in Brooklyn.
01:14:56And a piece of Collier here to play in game five.
01:15:00And it's 6-0 in Minnesota in the early going.
01:15:04Jones lays it in as Collier tries to pull the chair.
01:15:09Here comes New York.
01:15:10Ionescu will fire.
01:15:13Missed it badly.
01:15:15Brianna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu scoreless in this first after they both struggled mightily in game four.
01:15:21Game five looked like the Lynx were going to pull it out.
01:15:24In the first quarter, the Lynx dominated.
01:15:27And for the Liberty fans, it was not pretty to watch.
01:15:33Hey, hey, come on!
01:15:34Come on!
01:15:34Keep out here, dear.
01:15:35We gotta chip away.
01:15:37We gotta play tougher defense.
01:15:38Stewart racing up the floor.
01:15:41Stewart has it taken from behind.
01:15:44Again, New York turns it over.
01:15:46Minnesota's defense.
01:15:47They are everywhere.
01:15:48They're spectacular.
01:15:49It's been spectacular.
01:15:51Jones gets it down to Stewart.
01:15:53Stewart lays it in.
01:15:54And that'll do it for the second quarter.
01:15:58Going into halftime, the Lynx were leading 34-27.
01:16:02And set the tone for game five.
01:16:08This crowd has been begging for something to cheer about.
01:16:13Hoping they get it here at the start of the third.
01:16:17Stewart dumps it down.
01:16:19Jones puts it down.
01:16:21Gets it back.
01:16:23And finishes!
01:16:24Puffs the foul!
01:16:26Basketball's a game of runs.
01:16:28Momentum shifts are crucial.
01:16:32And she just made it a two-point game.
01:16:34The physicality has been ramped up a little bit here in the third quarter.
01:16:38As Vivic comes up with a steal.
01:16:41Jonesescu locks it in.
01:16:43Saboli waits.
01:16:45Tie game!
01:16:49Miara Saboli just making things happen.
01:16:53It's good!
01:16:55Miara Saboli came off the bench to be an unexpected hero at the end of this game.
01:17:03This building has been a difference maker over the last few seasons for the New York Liberty.
01:17:09And it has come alive as the Liberty take their first lead of the game.
01:17:15Last 10 minutes!
01:17:17How bad do we want it?
01:17:18Let's go!
01:17:20One quarter away from this franchise's first championship.
01:17:25Minnesota down two.
01:17:27Collier spins.
01:17:28Collier ties it up!
01:17:3058-all!
01:17:33We were all, like, at the edge of our seats.
01:17:36We just didn't know what was going to happen.
01:17:38Into Collier on court.
01:17:40Collier goes faceline and lays it in!
01:17:43Nafisa Collier puts Minnesota in front.
01:17:46New York down two.
01:17:47Championship in the balance.
01:17:49Stewart catches!
01:17:51Leaves!
01:17:51Can't hit, but a foul!
01:17:54Was that a foul?
01:17:55They're going to challenge this.
01:17:59Um, so, about that shot, I think, first of all, um, we didn't agree with the call.
01:18:06We challenged it.
01:18:07Ooh, I think she hits the left wrist of Stewart.
01:18:10There?
01:18:11I don't know.
01:18:12That looks clean.
01:18:13I hate putting the game in refs' hands.
01:18:16You know what I'm saying?
01:18:17Because the reality is, they human, too.
01:18:20I feel like they was out there trying their best, and they fought the call up.
01:18:24You don't win a game until the clock hits zero, and we saw the ups and downs in the series.
01:18:31Last-second shots, foul calls, questionable calls.
01:18:35Not one play impacts the game.
01:18:37It's the entire thing.
01:18:39After review, this is an unsuccessful challenge.
01:18:42Alana Smith is not in legal guarding position.
01:18:45Therefore, Stewart will be shooting two free throws.
01:18:48You can never take a whole game and take it down to one point, but, of course, that's, like, a
01:18:53momentum swing.
01:18:55Brianna Stewart has missed critical free throws in this series.
01:19:01He eats both to tie.
01:19:02With 5.2 to go, and has the first.
01:19:10Spike can't bear to watch.
01:19:18Tie game.
01:19:20Brianna Stewart knocked down some big free throws that she missed earlier in the series.
01:19:27Overtime of game five is underway.
01:19:32The defense connects!
01:19:36You have five more minutes to change the outcome of that first call.
01:19:41Chance for Minnesota.
01:19:42And we didn't show up in overtime.
01:19:44Stabbley the steal!
01:19:46Stabbley the breakaway!
01:19:47And the lay!
01:19:52We just, we couldn't make a shot, honestly.
01:19:55We could not make a shot.
01:19:56Williams gets it in.
01:19:57Carlton to tie!
01:19:59No!
01:20:01Stabbley the rebound!
01:20:02Pitch is back!
01:20:03And Gordon is fouled!
01:20:05Now, if that foul's on Collier, it's number six, and she is gone.
01:20:12I ended up fouling out.
01:20:16It was obviously just, it was, the whole thing was super upsetting.
01:20:2022 points, seven rebounds from Collier, who has had a historically great playoff, and who
01:20:27is just entering her prime as a star in this league.
01:20:29Ten seconds remaining, Brianna Stewart, back in the line.
01:20:35You bet.
01:20:40These fans starting to taste it.
01:20:42Got them both!
01:20:46Of course, like, you always think about the what-ifs.
01:20:49If they didn't call this, if they didn't do this, but they did, and we didn't execute
01:20:52the way we needed to in those five minutes, and that's really what it comes down to.
01:20:55New York by five in overtime.
01:20:58Swing pass and T-Spoon can barely stand the excitement.
01:21:03Carlton Longsley, taken away by Phoebus, off to Stewart!
01:21:07And for 28 years in the making, the New York Liberty are WNBA champions!
01:21:19Oh, my God!
01:21:21The original franchise has its very first title.
01:21:31It was worth it!
01:21:33It was worth it!
01:21:36A classic overtime game-five win, and the fans in this crowd, who've waited nearly three
01:21:45decades for this moment, overcome with emotion.
01:21:48You see the tears falling.
01:21:54It swung the momentum because if it wasn't a foul, we would have won the game.
01:21:57Like, we would be champions right now.
01:21:59The emotional and physical toll that it takes to get that far, I had never been there,
01:22:05so I didn't know.
01:22:06But in the moment, I mean, you know, you're angry, you're gutted.
01:22:11It's the first really hard loss in my career.
01:22:14It sucked.
01:22:16Right after the game, like, I allowed myself to wallow a little bit.
01:22:20I think it's important to feel your feelings and not just push them on and move to the
01:22:23next thing.
01:22:24Like, for me, I just wanted to use it as fuel, not something that I'm moping about, and this
01:22:28is my story.
01:22:28I'm complaining about this for the rest of my life.
01:22:30I want to make sure that I'm not in this position again next year.
01:22:56I want to make sure that I'm not in this position again next year.
01:23:03And the final is...
01:23:04Chan-Quel-Chun.
01:23:16I sat in that moment of just, like, appreciation before anything else and gratitude.
01:23:22Sometimes you forget just how far you've actually come.
01:23:26I could never dream of this.
01:23:28I mean...
01:23:36Y'all know my story.
01:23:38Y'all know many times I've been denied it, but it was delayed.
01:23:41That's all it was.
01:23:42And I'm so happy to do it here.
01:23:45Just in case you don't know her story, you left home at 13 years old.
01:23:50You left the Bahamas to come and live with strangers so you could chase your basketball
01:23:53dream.
01:23:54What do you have to say to your friends and family?
01:23:57That I'm here because of them.
01:23:58That all the sacrifices that they made have allowed me to be the person that I am today.
01:24:02None of this happens without my teammates and without the people that have poured into
01:24:05me and without these amazing fans.
01:24:12It feels amazing, man.
01:24:13To be honest with you.
01:24:15It's just about winning.
01:24:16I'm happy to do it with my teammates.
01:24:17I'm happy that we got the opportunity.
01:24:19I'm happy that I came to New York.
01:24:21Just a lot of joy.
01:24:22A lot of joy.
01:24:242024 took the W to new heights.
01:24:26The elite athleticism, the fan engagement, the record-breaking viewership.
01:24:322024 marks a new chapter for the WNBA.
01:24:36The success of the league has been growing.
01:24:39We see record performances.
01:24:41We see the metrics out the roof.
01:24:44Every year I say, this year is better than the last.
01:24:48But 2024 was just special.
01:24:52There's no doubt in the history books, everyone will look back at 2024 as a pivotal moment of
01:24:58growth for the WNBA.
01:25:00Now, the league and I move into new chapters.
01:25:05Each determined to grow this sport we love.
01:25:08My advice for the generation going forward, seize it.
01:25:15To be able to bring the first to New York, this is an incredible feeling,
01:25:18an incredible moment for the city.
01:25:19Oh, we're gonna party.
01:25:21We're gonna party like you never party before.
01:25:22Oh!
01:25:24Oh!
01:25:28Oh!
01:25:30Oh!
01:25:30I'm unbelievably proud.
01:25:31We had it grinded out.
01:25:34Have we found a way?
01:25:35Oh!
01:25:38Oh!
01:25:40Oh!
01:25:43Oh!
01:25:44Oh!
01:25:45Oh!
01:25:46Oh!
01:25:47Oh!
01:25:48Oh!
01:25:48Oh!
01:25:48Oh!
01:25:49Oh!
01:25:50Oh!
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