Manhattan’s fabled Canyon of Heroes once again hosted a group of New York champions.
Fans lined up hours before the start of Thursday’s Liberty parade celebrating the franchise’s very first WNBA title.
And they were in for a treat.
Liberty legend Teresa Weatherspoon linked up with the mascot from the team’s Madison Square Garden days: Maddie the Mascot.
Superstar Breanna Stewart popped bottles of Ace of Spade champagne on her personal Puma float — one before the parade even began.
“I’ve lived here for 14 years. They deserve it,” said a member of the Timeless Torches, the dance group featured at every Barclays Center home game.
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Finals MVP Jonquel Jones hoisted her trophy on a float with Caribbean music blaring — fitting for the 6-6 Bahamian star.
Classic New York anthems were also heard through the route up Broadway from Jay Z and Alicia Keys’ Empire State of Mind, Jay-Z & Cam’Ron’s Welcome to New York City, Dipset’s I Really Mean It to 50 Cent’s I Get Money.
And of course: Ellie the Elephant was present to steal the show.
It was a proper celebration for a Liberty team that beat the Minnesota Lynx in five thrilling games in the WNBA Finals to bring New York City its first basketball title since the Knicks won the NBA crown in 1973. The WNBA title was New York’s first Big 5 sports title since NYCFC won the MLS Cup in 2021.
The last team honored with this classic New York tradition was the U.S. women’s national soccer team after winning the World Cup in 2019.
The Yankees, who begin the World Series against the Dodgers on Friday in L.A., have a chance at bringing fans back to the Canyon of Heroes in a few weeks. They last paraded up the Canyon of Heroes after beating the Phillies in the 2009 World Series.
But for now it’s the Liberty who received all the love riding down Broadway to City Hall. Those that couldn’t get a spot near a barricade were seen watching from the windows of their apartments.
Constructions workers took time off to watch atop a few of the many scaffolds set up downtown. And kids were hanging off bus stops along the parade route.
Once festivities ended at the Canyon of Heroes, the fun continued at City Hall, where Liberty players and staff continue to revel in the fun following a WNBA title.
