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The NY Liberty head back to the playoffs today. Catch up on what you missed.
By
Priya Desai
Published Sep 27, 2026
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ANGELA WEISS / Contributor / Getty Images
By
Priya Desai
Published Sep 27, 2026
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This summer, New York City celebrated a Knicks championship. But let’s not forget it was the New York Liberty who began this basketball championship era.
In 2024, the Libs won their first championship in franchise history and showed a whole new generation of New Yorkers how to celebrate down the Canyon of Heroes. Things have gotten a bit complicated since then. For those who need a refresher before the playoffs start on Sunday, here’s where the Liberty stand and where to watch them make a run at another title.
A lot can happen in two seasons
Since the confetti settled, the Liberty got a new head coach and reworked their roster, all while dealing with a ton of injuries. After the Liberty were bounced out of the first round of playoffs last season, Sandy Brondello, the coach who led them to their first championship game, was fired.
That disappointing season comes with some context. Injuries to the star trio of Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu disrupted the Libs’ attempt to repeat. Brondello left as the winningest coach in franchise history. She was replaced by Chris DeMarco, who spent 13 years as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors. This is his first season coaching in the WNBA
New York also signed three-time All-Star forward Satou Sabally, who helped the Phoenix Mercury knock out the Liberty last season. Sabally’s signing was huge news this year, but unfortunately she’s out for the season with an injury (more on that in a minute). Her arrival gave the team another scoring threat alongside Stewart, Jones and Ionescu. Sabally was the big-name signing, but the Liberty also brought back veteran Rebecca Allen and added French players Pauline Astier and Marine Fauthoux, giving the team more options when its stars need rest or are sidelined by injuries.
The case for another parade. And against.
The Liberty open the playoffs against the Minnesota Lynx, who finished with the best record in the WNBA and are the No. 1 seed. The Libs, on the other hand, are the 8th and final seed in these playoffs. The worst of the best.
Not an ideal matchup on paper, but don’t panic just yet.
The Liberty beat Minnesota twice in three meetings this season, including a convincing win on the Lynx’s home court just last week. That’s an encouraging sign because the best-of-three series opens in Minnesota before the Liberty return to Barclays Center in Brooklyn. At their best, this team can beat the Lynx. The trouble is getting that team to show up consistently.
It was a rough start to the season. Negotiations over the league’s new labor agreement this spring shortened the time teams had to assemble their rosters before training camp (free-agent signings were on hold until a deal was reached). On top of that, the new head coach was teaching a brand-new offense while players were still arriving. And it showed. The Liberty lost four of their first seven games before winning eight. Oh but wait then, just when they seemed to figure it out, they would go on to lose eight of the next 10 games. It was a season of whiplash.
The multitude of injuries didn’t help. Satou Sabally is out for the season following a concussion. She only played 13 games with the team. Sabrina Ionescu and Leonie Fiebich are back, but both spent substantial time out with injuries. With players in and out, the team struggled to find a rhythm while adjusting to a new coach.
The Libs have what it takes to beat the Lynx ifthey show up. Then, they have to keep showing up consistently for two more rounds. Consistency has been their biggest weakness.
The Main Characters
Breanna “Stewie” Stewart
When things get messy, look for Stewie. She’s the team’s all-time leading scorer and its most dependable presence. Her knee soreness kept her out of the regular-season finale, which Demarco called precautionary. Her presence on the sidelines out of uniform is enough to make fans nervous, no matter how precautionary the decision.
Sabrina Ionescu
When her shots go in, wow, is she fun to watch. Ionescu will shoot from distances that seem like a bad idea until the ball goes in. Injuries disrupted her season. She missed 13 games but in her June return, she became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 3,000 career points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists. Don’t call it a comeback.
Jonquel Jones
All eyes are on Jones after somebody misses a shot. She grabs rebounds that give the Liberty another chance to score or deny the other team from getting one. It’s less flashy than a long-distance shot, but making sure the other team can’t have the ball is its own kind of entertainment. Getting her the ball near the basket more often would also let her score more herself and take the pressure off Stewie and Ionescu.
Honorable Mention: Rebecca Allen
Allen began her WNBA career with the Liberty in 2015 and played her first seven seasons here before stints in Connecticut, Phoenix, and Chicago. Now she’s back where she started for her final season. Remember all those Liberty injuries? Allen helped pick up the slack, giving the team someone else to count on for a big three-pointer. A championship would be a pretty good retirement gift.
Find Your Crowd
Watching the playoffs from home is perfectly acceptable. But New York has stepped up its women’s sports bar scene, and it’s a vibe.
Blazers in Williamsburg opened because its owners were tired of calling bars to ask if they’d show the Liberty game. Now they have their own, dedicated to women’s sports, with a very cute sports-themed menu.
Athena Keke’s in Clinton Hill is super pretty, with upscale food, and it's cat-themed! Its owners are huge sports fans who wanted an inclusive place to watch, and they clearly wanted an upscale menu because watching sports can be more than wings and beer.
Wilka’s in Manhattan is the borough’s OG women’s sports bar. Its name is a nod to a female wolf and the owners’ idea of bringing women’s sports fans together as a pack. Also, they have a DJ who plays music during commercials and timeouts. Wherever you watch the WNBA playoffs, remember to always demand the game sound is on!
Fans can watch the game on ABC or stream it on the ESPN app, Fubo or Direct TV stream. Tip-off is at 2 p.m.
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