NEW YORK — As the seconds ticked down in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday night, Breanna Stewart dribbled the ball over half court. At the long-awaited buzzer, she found Jonquel Jones for an embrace as their teammates rushed the floor.
The New York Liberty had finally done it.
Sabrina Ionescu, the franchise’s longest tenured player, collapsed on the Liberty logo, her hands covering her face in euphoria. Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” blared as confetti rained down from the rafters.
It was a fitting end to a 2024 WNBA season that catapulted the WNBA into a new era of growth and cultural relevance, one that commissioner Cathy Engelbert called “the most transformational year in the WNBA’s history.” It featured standout individual performances — A’ja Wilson won her third MVP with one of the most dominant seasons in league history; Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese dazzled with sensational rookie campaigns — and leaguewide growth. The WNBA enjoyed its most watched regular…
