New York Liberty Claim Second WNBA Commissioner's Cup Behind Stewart and Ionescu
The New York Liberty made history on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, by becoming the first franchise in WNBA history to win multiple Commissioner's Cup titles, defeating the Las Vegas Aces 93-85 at Barclays Center. Despite squandering a 17-point second-half lead, the Liberty rallied behind a dominant performance from Breanna Stewart1, who took home MVP honors, and a season-high 26 points from Sabrina Ionescu.
The Aces, playing without injured superstar A'ja Wilson (ankle), launched a furious comeback led by Jackie Young, who scored 31 points—25 in the second half—to briefly take the lead in the fourth quarter. However, a late 10-0 run by the Liberty, punctuated by a layup from rookie Pauline Astier, sealed the victory.
Key Game Performances
- Breanna Stewart (MVP): Finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.
- Sabrina Ionescu: Scored a season-high 26 points to anchor the backcourt.
- Jackie Young: Led all scorers with 31 points, spearheading the Aces' short-lived second-half surge.
“You can’t take these moments for granted,” DeMarco said. “Obviously, we have bigger goals this season — we want to win a WNBA championship. But this stuff matters, too. And if you can withstand the run that a team makes and find it, and our stars make big-time plays at the end of the game, lead us to victory2, and that’s what winners do.3” — Leonie Fiebich quoting interim coach Chris DeMarco
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An instance of A champion's campaign is built on the tactical patience of striking late. — The champion Liberty withered an intense second-half comeback from Las Vegas to execute a decisive late run and claim the cup. ↩︎
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An instance of Title-winning performances belong to tactical operations that withstand heavy opponent pressure to deliver decisive late strikes. — The championship performance relied on absorbing a furious opponent comeback to execute decisive late-game plays. ↩︎
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An instance of A team remains a title pretender until it learns to win with minimal possession. — The New York Liberty won the Commissioner's Cup by absorbing a furious Las Vegas rally and executing a decisive late-game 10-0 run. ↩︎