Liberty star Breanna Stewart talks missed shot redemption in WNBA Finals win
The New York Liberty are officially WNBA champions after defeating the Minnesota Lynx 67-62 in overtime Sunday night, sealing their first ever title.
The team joined "Good Morning America" in Times Square on Monday morning following their hard-fought Game 5 victory at Barclays Center to discuss their historic win.
"It feels amazing just walking around the city, walking around Brooklyn. Everybody was talking about the games and wanting to bring a championship to New York, so to be able to play in the gym and see everybody there, feel the energy of the stadium and our fans and be able to win, was an amazing experience," WNBA Finals MVP and star center Jonquel Jones told Robin Roberts on "GMA."
This was Jones' fourth WNBA Finals appearance, proving for the 30-year-old, who left home in the Bahamas as a teenager to pursue her education and basketball at the elite level, that the win was worth the wait.
"A lot of people sacrificed for me to be able to do that," she said. "I get to play with these amazing ladies -- and finally I get to win it and do it with these guys and do it for the city."
Sabrina Ionescu, who graduated from the University of Oregon in just three years, going pro as the No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick in 2020, said this is the moment she's been waiting for.
"To just be able to see how far we've come in a short amount of time and be able to do this, obviously for each other, but for this organization that's believed in us since the beginning, you can't really put into words -- it feels amazing," the star guard said.
Ionescu drained a nearly half-court shot during Game 3 at Target Center in Minneapolis -- when the series was tied at one game apiece -- to keep the Liberty momentum and finals hopes alive.
"I'm really glad it went in, because all I've been saying is, 'I want to make sure that shot counts.' And winning has just made that shot count," Ionescu said.
Breanna Stewart, a two-time WNBA MVP and the team's star forward, talked redemption when it mattered most after some disappointing missed free throws earlier in the series.
"I just know my team had my back. Whether it was in Game 1 or missing two earlier, it was just a moment, an opportunity that I couldn't let pass by and really wanted to help us bring this championship home," Stewart said. "When your team trusts and believes in you, it just makes you have even more confidence."
Coming off the bench with 13 points, seven boards and a steal last night, Ionescu's former UO teammate Nyara Sabally showed off her star power in Sunday night's victory.
"I always say my teammates make it really easy. It's just like staying ready mentally and physically, ready to go out there and continue to do what needs to be done, whether it's running the floor, rebounding," Sabally said.
The celebrated New York City team has solidified its icon status in the public eye, drumming up viral attention nationally all season long, spanning an array of generations.
Ionescu said that seeing all the young faces had a major impact on the team's performance this season.
"That's why we do what we do, to be able to give back to the next generation," Ionescu said. "Everyone was crying -- everyone stayed to watch us celebrate and celebrated with us. There's so many young kids that were in the stands watching and now hoping and dreaming of one day winning a championship as well, because they were able to witness us do it."
She added, "I think that's the most important part and why it is we do what we do."
