The Game 5 of the WNBA Finals between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx indeed locked in the entire basketball world. One of the exciting presence? Teresa Weatherspoon. This Liberty veteran, who usually keeps her social media presence to just birthday posts, suddenly drops a message of support with a throwback picture.

In an Instagram story, she shared her own picture from her old days in a NY Liberty jersey, writing, “@nyliberty I’m on my way!!!” And when she did arrive, Weatherspoon did not care to sit ideal. Donning a #11 Liberty hoodie, the 58-year-old enthusiastically hyped the crowd at Barclays as her team trailed 49-50.  

This comes days after T-Spoon’s firing as head coach with the Chicago Sky. The hopper has had a legendary career as a player, but it didn’t translate into coaching for her first year in the W. The Windy City franchise’s co-owner, Nadia Rawlinson, released an official statement confirming the decision to part ways with the HC, after the Sky ended the season with a 13-27 record, missing their first playoff since 2019. 

While Khaleah Copper and Marina Mabrey’s trades shook the team, Chennedy Carter, Angel Reese, and Kamilla Cardoso’s injuries wouldn’t help further. The exit interviews then hinted at miscommunication. But young star Reese, having found an adequate mentor in TSpoon, was devastated by the news. “I’m heartbroken. I’m literally lost for words knowing what this woman meant to me in such a pivotal point in my life,” she penned on Twitter. 

And the duo reunited tonight. “My heart is so full,” the LSU Tigress penned, sharing a selfie with the coach. Though, Reese wasn’t there to support anyone in particular. The Chi-Town Barbie donned a ‘half-Breanna Stewart, half-Napheese Collier,’ jersey to cheer for both the stars. But TSpoon was set on her choice of team. And how could she not?

Teresa’s ‘Big Shot’ made history

All Liberty fans still remember T-Spoon’s “Big Shot.” It’s one of the most iconic moments in the WNBA’s history, and every time the Liberty is mentioned, it just may be front and center. It was Game 2 of the 1999 WNBA Finals, and the Liberty, playing against Houston Comets, were down by two points with just 2.4 seconds left.

It was totally a do-or-die moment for New York. Just when they lost all hopes, Weatherspoon caught an inbounds pass and hit a miracle 50-foot shot from half-court. It lead to the team’s 68-67 victory.

That shot gave the Liberty one more chance to fight for the championship, and it became one of the most iconic moments in WNBA history. The crowd of over 16,000 fans went wild, the basketball world was buzzing, and the Liberty had forced a Game 3.

But it was quite emotional for Weatherspoon as she had been playing with a heavy heart after her 19-year-old nephew, one of her best friends, passed away just before the Finals. As she puts it, “It was bigger than what most people think, something I never really talk about.”

And this season, we saw similar magic when Sabrina Ionescu hit a 28-footer with one second left in Game 3. Though TSpoon could not do enough to claim a championship in her 7 years with the franchise, the Breanna Stewart-led team did it today. Call reviews, clutch free throws, an anxious overtime, and the Liberty finally took it home 67-62.