After nearly three decades of being the only original franchise without a ring, the New York Liberty finally claimed their first WNBA championship in a 67-62 overtime victory against the Minnesota Lynx. Sure, it means a lot to the athletes on the court, but it might mean even more for the legends who shaped this team over the years, trying their best but always falling short. One of them is Teresa Weatherspoon.

Weatherspoon witnessed the historic victory in Barclays Center, and she couldn’t contain her emotions. In a viral postgame video, she couldn’t even speak, getting so emotional seeing all the celebrations. WNBA reporter and analyst Terrika filmed the moment.

The journalist took to X, penning, “Lemme tell you. This moment was so emotional. Because THIS WOMAN WAS SPEECHLESS. Spoon was so overjoyed that it brought us all to tears. No one deserved this moment more.” But it didn’t come to the New Yorkers so easily. 

It’s safe to say that the Liberty’s first half was one of the worst of the season. They barely managed 10 points in the first quarter. Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart seemed to be missing most of their field-goal attempts. Then comes the second half and the unexpected bench star, Nyara Sabally. 

Playing just 37 minutes in the Finals before Sunday, Sabally rocked in the third quarter. She scored nine points in the period, flipping a seven-point deficit into a three-point lead. Once the game reached overtime, thankfully, rookie Leonie Fiebich, who has been another savior in these Finals, hit a 3-pointer.

And Minnesota never recovered. For T-Spoon, this victory was especially sweet. After all, she was in a similar spot back in 1999. Marking one of the greatest moments in WNBA Finals history, she launched a 50-footer to win Game 2 against the Houston Comets. But they couldn’t win Game 3 and lost the title. So, it must’ve felt like redemption. But this victory was no luck; it can be credited to head coach Sandy Brondello’s amazing lineup.

Sandy Brondello’s dream team makes Teresa Weatherspoon’s day

The trio of Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu dominated the season. “We know when it’s our time to step up and to make an impact,” Stewart said. “We wouldn’t be here without our teammates, and having that trust and belief just gives us confidence.”

But the remarkable line-up came into action in Game 5 when Sabally hit the court. And she stepped up big time when the star players couldn’t. Also, while the spotlight was on Stewart and Ionescu, Jonquel Jones was silently taking down the opponents.  

In the Finals, her post-ups and rebounds made it hard for Minnesota. With 17 points, she led the team and earned her Finals MVP honors. All in all, it was a complete team effort. For a franchise that’s been waiting and working hard since 1997, this championship was long overdue.