The New York Liberty celebrated their long-awaited reign as WNBA champions in a rain of ticker tape on Thursday.
Days after defeating the Minnesota Lynx in a winner-take-all Game 5, the Liberty and thousands of their fans partied in lower Manhattan as the team got the ultimate New York City tribute: a parade up the Canyon of Heroes.
“Every time we put our hand in, our word is ‘heart,'” coach Sandy Brondello said of the Liberty’s huddles, as a jubilant crowd cheered her at City Hall. “That’s what we needed, and we did it together.”
“I feel like I’m a New Yorker,” the Australian added. “Just the way you got behind us — that’s something I will never forget.”
Celebrating the first crown in the franchise’s 28-year history, the Liberty marched up Broadway in a blizzard of confetti. They planned to cap off the celebration with a fan appreciation night Thursday at their home arena, Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Liberty broadcast analyst Ros Gold-Onwude noted the historic nature of the title: It’s the first pro basketball championship for New York City since the Knicks won it all in 1973, 51 years ago.
Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, a Rutgers graduate, noted the far-flung contributions of a roster that drew from Croatia, Germany, California and New York City, among other locations. “Us all coming from different places, different walks, different everything — to be able to come together and win a championship, to be here now, it really means a lot,” she said.
A deeper meaning in Liberty win
The crowd along the parade route reflected the diversity of the New York area itself, with skin tones of all shades and hair of many lengths and textures. Some were old enough to have been at Madison Square Garden for the WNBA’s inaugural 1997 season. Others probably played hooky from school Thursday.
But they shared the seafoam, coming together for a line dance outside City Hall or two as a DJ spun tunes.
Among many along Broadway, there was a feeling that the Liberty’s moment — they were the first local women’s sports team to get a ticker-tape parade — carried a deeper meaning.
Gillian Berney came from Palisades Park with her son Cameron.
“I’m here to support women’s sports. It’s a priority for us,” she said. “My son is a basketball player, so we love the sport. It’s very important for the city and the pride of the city.”
“Ellie was my favorite part of the season,” Berney added, referring to the team’s elephant mascot. “We love her outfits. We love everything about her and the progress that they made.”
A spirit of inclusion
Nebraska Hernandez also showed up to show support for women’s teams. “They are often overlooked, but hey, they won!” he said. “Big New York [fan], big Liberty — I’m just happy New York won, and we’ll be here again next month for the Yankees.”
Photographer and LGBTQ+ activist Lola Flash grew up in Montclair and proudly showed up for the festivities. A Black lesbian, Flash recalled the times when she didn’t see many people she recognized in popular culture.
“We used to say, ‘She’s family.’ But they weren’t out,” said Flash, who attended her first Liberty game to see Brittney Griner play after being released from a Russian penal colony.
“When I see them kissing on TV, I’m kind of shocked, because I’m not used to that safety,” she said of gay people she now sees in media.
Liberty won the WNBA title in their sixth try
The Liberty won in their sixth trip to the WNBA finals, after five losses that included a disappointing performance last year against the Las Vegas Aces.
Hailie Cadeau grew up playing basketball in East Orange and at Morristown Beard School in Morris County. She was at Game 5 on Sunday night.
“Last season was a difficult one, but I did not lose hope,” said Cadeau, who works in recruiting. “I knew we were coming back, that they hadn’t given up on the city of New York.”
In an interview before the parade, Liberty owner Clara Wu Tsai told Fox-5 News that she was thinking of the franchise’s long-waiting fans: “To finally win a championship for them is really special.”
Later, at the City Hall ceremony, she told the crowd, “We basically finished some business, but it’s just the beginning. I think based on the love, we’re going to have to run it back.”
Along the parade route, Aaron Cruz, a supporter from the Bronx, said, “It’s awesome ’cause it’s their first time winning.” The Liberty’s defeat of the Aces in this year’s semifinals round was a highlight for him. “Beating the Aces has to be the best part of the season. That felt like our championship win.”
Chloe and Caroline Delacruz traveled from Hillsborough with their mom, Natasha, showing up early to get a good spot on Broadway. They parked in Newark and took the PATH to the Canyon of Heroes. Already ticketed for Thursday night’s Barclays event, they planned a subway ride to Brooklyn.
Back at City Hall, the Liberty’s Jonquel Jones, the MVP of the WNBA finals, talked about the honor she felt representing both New York and her native Bahamas.
Jones said the title “just represents going after your dream wholeheartedly, just taking it one step at a time and doing what you can do, not trying to do too much.”
She finished by leading the crowd in a Liberty fan cheer that symbolized the resilience of the team and the city: “We all we got! We all we need!”
How many ticker-tape parades has NYC thrown?
The Liberty got the 208th march down the Canyon of Heroes, according to a list maintained by the New York Downtown Alliance. There was a full-circle feel to Thursday’s event, given that the tradition started in 1886 to honor the dedication of the Statue of Liberty.
The most recent previous ticker-tape parade was held in 2021 for New York’s essential workers in the midst of the COVID pandemic.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Liberty fans celebrate WNBA champs with ticker-tape parade
