(Photo : (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)) NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 18: Courtney Vandersloot #22, Jonquel Jones #35, Betnijah Laney #44, Breanna Stewart #30 and Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty look on in the second quarter against the Las Vegas Aces during Game Four of the 2023 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center on October 18, 2023 in New York City.
After making it to the WNBA Finals and losing 4-1 to the Las Vegas Aces last year, the New York Liberty are back and looking to make another trip to the promised land.
The Liberty finished last season with an impressive record of 32-8 after notably signing Breanna Stewart during the 2023 offseason.
Now, they hope to build on last season’s success, where they put together one of the best rosters in the league behind a tandem of Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart.
Do the New York Liberty have enough firepower to match the Las Vegas Aces or will some significant shifts around the league, including a promising rookie class, keep them from hoisting another Championship in New York?
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Liberty Keep the Gang Together and Key Additions
The Liberty have managed to keep their core intact by retaining some of their best players on the roster.
Last season’s reigning MVP Breanna Stewart signed a one-year deal to remain in New York, and Jonquel Jones also signed a multi-year deal with the Liberty.
Other spots on the roster saw the Liberty continue to make key moves to secure a solid bench, including drafting Marquesha Davis from Ole Miss and signing Kennedy Burke and Rebekah Gardner during free agency.
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Breanna Stewart’s Eyes are Set
The Liberty have their eyes set on one goal, making it back to the WNBA Finals.
That was made clear by Breanna Stewart who wants to repeat the success from last season.
“We know what happened last year, and the fact we didn’t achieve our goal will motivate us, but it’s not what we’re thinking about the entire season,” Breanna Stewart said.
Stewart added, “I’m really excited to get things going with a new and old group and build chemistry. Now that most of us have a year under our belts, what will we do bigger on and off the court?”
There’s no doubt that Stewart’s play will be the key to Liberty’s quest to another championship.
Breanna Stewart is fresh off of an MVP season in which she averaged 23.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.
If she is able to repeat what she did last season then it’s easy to see the New York Liberty back in the WNBA Finals.
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Bigger Role for Sabrina Ionescu
Sabrina Ionescu is coming off a solid year having averaged 17.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists.
She managed to show flashes of greatness during the regular season, being the sidekick to Stewart. However, she was disappointing in the finals with some poor shooting performances.
If New York wants to take the championship jump, Ionescu has to take the next step as a player.
So far throughout her career, Sabrina Ionescu has shown a lot of flair in combining her elite shooting and play-making skills, proving that she has the skills to be one of the best guards in the league.
However, poor performances in big games have put a blemish on her name, as Ionescu will need to prove this year that New York can depend on her in big moments.
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