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Thousands flooded Manhattan's Canyon of Heroes on Thursday to honor the WNBA champion New York Liberty. The team's first title in its 28-year history ended a half-century drought for New York basketball championships, with the city's last celebration coming from the 1973 Knicks.
Finals MVP Jonquel Jones proudly displayed her trophy atop a dedicated float, while teammates Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu connected with fans along Broadway from Battery Park to City Hall. Stewart, riding a Puma truck emblazoned with "Stew York City," exemplified the team's deep connection with their supporters.
"This is awesome. I've been a Liberty fan since they first started playing," said longtime supporter Sarah Davis, referencing the WNBA's 1997 inception. The parade bridged generations of Liberty basketball, with pioneering players Teresa Weatherspoon, Vickie Johnson, and Kym Hampton joining the festivities.
City Council Member Tiffany Cabán shared a personal connection: "I remember being so excited the first time I saw Teresa Weatherspoon and Rebecca Lobo out on the court. I begged for Rebecca Lobo jersey for Christmas that first year, and I would not take it off."
The celebration marked only the second ticker-tape parade honoring a women's sports team since 2019, when the U.S. Women's Soccer Team was celebrated for their World Cup victory. This parade's significance extended beyond sports, as noted by season ticket holder Debra Clay: "When you fight hard and you work hard and you have the right character, then you deserve to win, and we deserve to win."
The victory's impact reverberated throughout the city. Bronx resident Renee Banks observed, "When they won the championship, I heard flares and bells and bones and bumps all over New York, because that's what was all about."
The championship-clinching game against the Minnesota Lynx went to overtime in Game 5 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, where the team planned an evening celebration following the parade. State and city leaders, including Senator Chuck Schumer, Governor Kathy Hochul, and Mayor Eric Adams, joined the festivities, underscoring the achievement's significance for New York City.
This parade, the first for a local sports team since the Giants' 2012 Super Bowl victory, added to the over 200 ticker-tape celebrations in New York's history. While the tradition dates back to the 1886 Statue of Liberty dedication, Thursday's celebration proved that the spirit of civic pride remains as vibrant as ever in the Canyon of Heroes.
