The New York Liberty’s satisfying revenge has everyone talking. Team superstars Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu have managed to lead the team to a 2-0, quite the replication of LV Aces’ lead in last year’s finals. But beyond their on-court brilliance, ESPN analyst Elle Duncan has offered her full support rather unconventionally—through a “spiritual” connection.

On a recent episode of the Elle Duncan show, the ESPN analyst went on to resonate with her namesake Ellie the Elephant, the mascot of the NY Liberty, and expressed her love for the mascot while praising the Liberty’s unstoppable offense against the Aces in Game 1 of the WNBA playoffs.

“I think it’s going to be the Liberty this year, and I couldn’t love it more for Ellie the Elephant, who, by the way, is like my spirit animal. I never thought I would identify with an elephant, but I love her so much, and she’s holding it down for us at least. And yes, I’m going to adopt that name since everyone already calls me that,” she said while expressing her outspoken support for the NY Liberty.

The mascot is very dear to the team itself. Just ahead of the playoffs, Ionescu collaborated with Ellie on a new colorway for her Nike Sabrina 2. The shoes have an elephant print on their heels to go with the team’s seafoam green, black, and white colors. Sabrina 2 ‘By Big Ellie,’ they are named. Maybe it was just another charm the Liberty needed.

Then noting that teams who win Game 1, go on to take the series 77% of the time, Duncan further emphasized, “I just don’t see how this Liberty team is getting beat in particular.” While the LV Aces are trying to make history with a 3-peat, the Liberty are chasing a different legacy—finally lifting the trophy after five playoff appearances. They did get on the right momentum with their two wins, clamping down on the Aces, but there still remains a challenging path ahead.

A Championship Dream Backed by Spirit and Talent

The New York Liberty have made five previous playoff appearances (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2023) but have yet to claim the title. Last year’s Finals loss stung the most, as they came up short at the final hurdle.

NY Liberty star Breanna Stewart, reflecting on last year’s heartbreak, stated in a post-game conference after Game 1, “I’ve just kind of grown from it… Unfortunately [had] a lot of time to reflect about it uh last year’s postseason and where can I be better and you know how to kind of just handle things collectively better.”

ESPN analyst Elle Duncan echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that this season is all about revenge for the Liberty. The Liberty showcased their determination in Game 1, with Stewart leading the charge by scoring 34 points. It was Ionescu in game 2, leading with 24 points and setting the tone for what they hope will be a series of redemption.

Coach Sandy Brondello, known for her “defenses win championships” mentality, had stated, “We came out, it’s Game 1, we wanted to play with a sense of urgency and protect our home court” praising the team’s complete lockdown defense against the Aces.

The Liberty showcased their dominance in the paint as well, grabbing a total of 32 rebounds, with center Jonquel Jones grabbing 12 rebounds— which was more than half of the Aces’ collective total of 22 rebounds. Additionally, the Liberty’s shooting accuracy was impressive, hitting 52% of their field goals compared to the Aces’ 42%. They carried it on to Game 2 as well, outscoring the defending champions in all but the 3 points for a 88-84 win. But Ionescu isn’t celebrating just yet.

“Being up 2-0 is great, but we haven’t won anything… We didn’t come to win two games at home and be satisfied, we’re a hungry group,” she said. The Liberty take on the Aces in the latter’s home ground for game 3. And by all means, will look to avoid a second game there.