After nearly three decades of being the WNBA’s lovable losers, the New York Liberty finally brought home a championship, silencing critics and skeptics alike with their nail-biting 87-82 overtime victory over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the 2024 Finals. For a team that had been haunted by six unsuccessful Finals appearances and almost 30 years of “just-missed-it” moments, this was monumental. But while the confetti is still falling, the Liberty now face the daunting task of defending their title. So, what will it take to go back-to-back?
Season Snapshot: A Liberty Dream Season
With a league-best record of 32-8, a top-ranking offense (107.0 offensive rating), and an ironclad defense (95.3 defensive rating), the Liberty weren’t just good—they were consistently terrifying. Versatility was their secret sauce, and it hit a new high once Leonie Fiebich joined the starting lineup, unlocking a team of tall, sharpshooting, switch-ready defenders. They topped the league in net rating (+11.7) and proved they could adapt to any challenge…except maybe remembering to hit threes under pressure.
Key to Success: Embrace the Chaos, Stay Consistent
If there’s one tiny crack in the Liberty’s armor, it’s consistency. This team can look like they’re coasting to an easy win, and then out of nowhere, they’ll forget how to shoot. Game 5 of the Finals was the perfect case study—they shot an abysmal 2 of 23 from beyond the arc. But despite some occasional sloppiness, this team has such an overwhelming talent pool that they almost always find a way to stay in games.
Free Agent Frenzy? Not Quite
The Liberty’s offseason hinges on re-signing superstar Breanna Stewart, and the odds are she’ll stay. Why would she leave after bringing the first trophy back to her home state? Expect her to sign a one-year deal to keep things flexible with the upcoming collective bargaining agreement in 2026. And after Stewart? Things get interesting. Veteran point guard Courtney Vandersloot, who will turn 36 by the season’s tip-off, might not be worth the $197,000 payday she got last season, even if she still brings the grit and court vision.
Another quiet offseason storyline is the return of Rebekah Gardner. The Liberty traded two second-round picks for her, and after she missed 2024 with a foot injury, her defensive prowess and steady 3-point shooting will be welcomed with open arms. Marine Johannes and Han Xu are both wild cards—Johannes has the Liberty’s exclusive rights as a reserved free agent if she returns stateside, but Xu’s interest in returning is foggier than a rainy New York morning.
In a no-drama scenario, the Liberty re-sign Stewart and Vandersloot and swap Kennedy Burke and Ivana Dojkic for Gardner and Johannes. This lineup would bring fresh legs without needing to dip into the trade market or take a spending spree.
Expansion Draft Blues
With the league expanding to include the Golden State Valkyries, the Liberty will have to hand over a prized player. Each team can only protect six players, and the Liberty’s core is larger than a fashionista’s wardrobe. Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, and Fiebich are must-protects, leaving one spot up for grabs between Finals MVP Nyara Sabally, Johannes, and versatile guard Kayla Thornton. You can almost hear Liberty fans panicking about who’ll end up donning Valkyrie teal next season.
Draft Strategy: Climbing the Ladder for New Talent
With a pick swap from last season’s four-team trade, the Liberty will jump from 12th to 7th overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft. They’ll be on the lookout for depth at point guard and the frontcourt, areas that a good draft pick could solidify. While they don’t have a second-round pick, landing a player like Texas’ Rori Harmon or UCLA’s Janiah Barker could add both fire and finesse to their bench. If Dominique Malonga, a French forward, remains on the board, she’d make an intriguing draft-and-stash prospect for future seasons.
The Verdict: Can New York Do It Again?
The Liberty have the winning formula, but a few tweaks are essential if they want to stave off competitors with fresh, expansion-draft-bolstered lineups. They’ll need to add some consistency to their shooting, cross their fingers for injury-free seasons, and navigate the draft and free agency waters carefully. But hey, after 28 years of waiting for a title, they’ve learned patience.
And as any Liberty fan would remind you, if they can finally reach the top of the mountain, they can probably hang out there a while. So here’s to another round in 2025—if New York has its way, the champagne’s staying on ice in the Big Apple.
