How Liberty's mascot Ellie The Elephant will make history on Thanksgiving

There are plenty of intriguing offseason storylines in the WNBA. Unrivaled will begin in January, the Dallas Wings won the WNBA Draft Lottery and the Golden State Valkyries' expansion draft is right around the corner. However, one storyline that recently surfaced includes the New York Liberty's mascot, Ellie The Elephant.

"I honestly can’t believe tomorrow I will have the HONOR of making history as the first professional sports mascot to have a dedicated float in the @Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade," Ellie The Elephant announced on X (formerly Twitter).

The Liberty, of course, won the 2024 WNBA Finals. Their championship surely helped the mascot receive this honor, Nevertheless, it is impressive and will be exciting for WNBA fans.

Ellie The Elephant emerging as celebrity

Ellie The Elephant is becoming one of the most popular mascots in the entire WNBA. So why an elephant? According to the Liberty's website, elephants have a "unique tie" to the city of Brooklyn.

"Before the grand opening of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883, there was speculation on the structural integrity of the bridge. To display its strength and safety, showman P.T. Barnum marched 21 elephants across the bridge. The stunt was a massive success, paving the way for one of New York’s most iconic landmarks," the Liberty's website explains.

Ellie The Elephant has been the Liberty's mascot since 2021. Fans are seemingly fond of the mascot. Ellie The Elephant will only continue to see her popularity increase.

When does the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade begin?

The 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is scheduled to begin at 8:30 PM EST. It will last until around 12 PM.

The parade will take place in New York City. As a result, Ellie The Elephant should be especially popular at the parade. One has to imagine that plenty of Liberty fans will attend the event.

As for the Liberty, they are currently focused on the offseason. Breanna Stewart is preparing to compete in the new Unrivaled Basketball league. In fact, Stewart is a co-founder of the league along with Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier.

New York's primary focus is on preparing for the 2025 WNBA season, of course. The Liberty are hoping to repeat as champions. They have work to do in the offseason, though. Re-signing Breanna Stewart will obviously be of the utmost importance.

For now, though, the Liberty will prepare to watch Ellie The Elephant in the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.