Ellie the Elephant, the New York Liberty basketball team’s beloved mascot, was caught on video Thursday handing NYC Mayor Eric Adamds her purse before busting a move for her adoring fans.
The moment was captured at a celebration to honor the team for winning the WNBA championship, and where Adams awarded the basketball players with Keys to the City.
“Look at the players of this team. They personified the energy and the spirit of this city during a time when so many people are trying to figure out, ‘How do I express myself so I won’t be judged,'” Adams said during his speech on Thursday. “They’re saying ‘The hell with you judging me. We’re going to be who we are and we’re going to play to win.’ And they were able to play to win.”
Who is Ellie The Elephant
Basketball fans and beyond have fallen in love with Ellie the Elephant’s captivating energy during the games and on social media. The mascot is known for unabashedly asking men to hold her purse while she gets her groove on at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Her unapologetic demeanor is why people are drawn to her: “As much as people are coming out to buy tickets for our athletes, some folks want to come out and see Ellie. Ellie pushes the boundaries of who a mascot has been traditionally,” Liberty Chief Brand Officer Shana Stephenson told USA TODAY earlier this summer.
After Liberty’s historic championship win on Sunday, the first for the team in 28 years, Ellie was seen turning up with the team on the court.
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch WNBA mascot Ellie give Eric Adams her purse for a dance break
