The glory arrived, although late, but did so for the New York Liberty who were battling for their first-ever title in their 28-year-long history. They fought and emerged victorious against the Minnesota Lynx in what was the franchise’s sixth Championship game after five failed previous attempts. And as they won, WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes—who played for a team that had haunted New York for years—shared her own dilemma about who to support in the Finals as she eventually found herself leaning just a bit towards the Liberty.

In the wake of the WNBA Finals, the Houston Comets legend dropped a new episode of her podcast, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. With the New York Liberty clinching their first title just a day earlier, Swoopes dove right into the championship series and shared her dilemma about who to cheer for during the Finals.

“Even before last night, I went back and forth on who I wanted to win, right? The Finals! Because I ain’t got a dawg in the fight, but the selfish person in me was like, ‘I do not want Minnesota to be the only team with 5 championships. Nope, don’t want Minnesota to win,'”  stated Swoopes on Queens of the Court.

This year’s Finals were destined to make history, no matter the outcome. If the Minnesota Lynx had emerged victorious, they would have claimed their fifth championship, becoming the first team to reach that milestone. This would have set them apart from the exclusive club of four-title teams, which includes the Seattle Storm and the now-defunct Houston Comets, the latter led by Swoopes.

“Somebody gotta win. So I kind of was, like, not mad when New York won because I just did not want Minnesota to get five,” Swoopes said later as her personal ties to the Comets made it difficult for her to cheer for the Lynx. She felt a sense of selfishness, knowing that a Lynx win would eclipse the record set by her own team during their twelve-season stint. But that doesn’t mean she was all in for New York either.

Sheryl Swoopes’ dilemma due to old rivalry and desire to preserve her former team’s legacy

“The other part is. Listen, I love Spoony (Teresa Weatherspoon), I love her. I love Sue (Wicks), I love VJ (Vickie Johnson). I love Crystal (Robinson). Like we had battles, but I’ve never wanted New York to win a tank. So I did not want New York to win either. So then I was like, listen, somebody gotta win. Somebody gotta win. So I kind of was, like, not mad when New York won because I just did not want Minnesota to get five,” explained Swoopes on her final dilemma.

Interestingly, the New York Liberty made their Finals debut in the inaugural season of the WNBA, where they faced off against Sheryl Swoopes’ Houston Comets for the championship title. Unfortunately, that encounter ended in heartbreak for the Liberty, as the talented roster that included names Swoopes referred to, ultimately fell short against their opponents.

Later, the Liberty made two more appearances in the Finals in 1999 and 2000, yet the title continued to slip through their fingers, with the Comets denying them the championship on each occasion. However, even though the Comets had already dissolved in 2008, when it came to whether Sheryl Swoopes should cling to the old rivalry or prioritize loyalty to her team’s legacy by supporting her former rivals, the 4x WNBA champion chose the latter, though with a passive enthusiasm.