3 Reasons the New York Liberty are destined to win the 2024 WNBA championship
By Elaine Blum
This year, several teams are eying a WNBA championship and have realistic chances to win. The New York Liberty, Minnesota Lynx, Connecticut Sun, Seattle Storm, and Las Vegas Aces are the undisputed top-five teams in the league this season. All of them have a chance but one team stands out.
After losing in the WNBA Finals to the Las Vegas Aces in 2023, it seems it is finally time for the New York Liberty to win a championship. The team has been incredibly dominant this season, losing only six games and getting comfortable at the top of the standings.
Finishing first in the regular season usually means a favorable first-round matchup. If the season ended today, the Liberty would face the Chicago Sky, a young team they already beat three times this season. It seems that the Liberty are destined to win the 2024 championship and for good reason.
Reason #3: The Liberty have the reigning MVP as well as depth
Last year’s MVP race was a close one between Breanna Stewart, Alyssa Thomas, and A’ja Wilson but in the end, Stewart took home her second MVP award. There are other great players in the league this season—A’ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier, for example, are two of the favorites to win MVP—but having Breanna Stewart on your team always gives you an advantage, especially in the playoffs.
Stewart is an experienced veteran, averaging 20.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. She contributes to winning basketball in every area of the game and can go get a bucket whenever her team needs her to.
Even if Stewart is not the best player in the WNBA this season, she is a big reason why the Liberty are so good and will play a huge role in the playoffs. She is a true two-way force and one of the most proven players in the league.
Stewart alone will likely not be enough to win the Liberty a championship, though. The best teams are deep teams and the Liberty are just that.
New York has a reliable starting five of Courtney Vandersloot, Sabrina Ionescu, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Breanna Stewart, and Jonquel Jones as well as bench players who can fill gaps and step up. Kayla Thornton, Leonie Fiebich, Nyara Sabally, and Kennedy Burke have all shown that they can contribute to winning basketball and fill bigger roles when needed.