At the beginning of the season there were thought to be two superteams in the WNBA: the defending champion Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty. Now here we are in October with both of those teams meeting up in the WNBA Finals as expected. It should be an epic showdown and a series for the ages. Here is my WNBA Finals preview.
WNBA Finals Preview
This matchup has everything. It has three players who have won a total of 5 MVP awards (Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, and Jonquel Jones), which were all in the last six seasons, 5 former number one overall draft picks (Stewart, Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and Sabrina Ionescu), and that’s not even to mention two of the best point guards that women’s basketball has seen recent memory in Courtney Vandersloot and Chelsea Gray. Oh, and this is also the first time ever that two former players have met in the Finals as head coaches.
Las Vegas Aces
The defending WNBA champions are trying to become the first team to win back-to-back championships since the Los Angeles Sparks did it in 2001-2002. This is the same core of players that led them to the franchise’s first title a year ago. This will be the team’s fourth finals appearance and their third in the last four seasons. They were one of the league’s original eight teams, though at the time they were known as the Utah Starzz. They have had their most success since moving to Las Vegas though, and have become one of the juggernauts of the league. Franchise and WNBA legend Becky Hammon is at the helm. She has her number retired by the franchise. All she’s done in her first two years as the head coach is coach the team to two straight Finals appearances.
Of course with this year’s Defensive Player of the Year A’ja Wilson leading the way you are always going to be good. But she is far from the only great player on this team. Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young are two of the league’s best scorers. Both were in the top 11 in the league in scoring average this season. Chelsea Gray continues to be one of the best point guards in the league. She was already great, and then improbably managed to get even better this year, putting up career high numbers in points, rebounds, assists, and blocks.
Unfortunately Candace Parker was lost in late July after having surgery on her fractured foot.
New York Liberty
Breanna Stewart was recently named this season’s MVP, and rightfully so. After spending the first six years of her career in Seattle (a place where she won an MVP and two championships), she decided to come to the Big Apple last offseason. Without missing a step she will lead New York into their first WNBA Finals appearance in 21 years. Stewie was just 8-years-old when the Liberty lost to the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2002 Finals (Fun fact: Aces head coach Becky Hammon was one of the Liberty’s star players that season.).
Despite also being one of the eight original WNBA teams, the Liberty have never won a championship, having lost in each of their four previous WNBA Finals appearances. With that they have the most finals appearances among teams that have not won a championship, and are the only one of the original eight that still exists that doesn’t have a title.
Stewie isn’t the only one who has had a great season for the Liberty. Courtney Vandersloot led the league in assists once again with 8.1 per game. She is one of the best point guards in WNBA history. 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones averaged just short of a double-double. Sabrina Ionescu has been the super versatile player and lethal shooter that she has always been.
Matchup Highlight: Stewie Vs. A’ja
Both players had strong claims to this year’s MVP award. Breanna Stewart took home the honors in what was an extremely tight votes. A’ja Wilson didn’t go home empty handed, as she won the Defensive Player of the Year award. These two women are arguably the best two women’s basketball players in the world right now. They are both already future first-ballot Hall of Famers. The two have met in the Finals before. Stewie’s Seattle Storm swept Wilson and the Aces in 2020 in the COVID-19 bubble. They talked in the past about how they motivate and inspire each other. They were also both members of Team USA when winning Olympic gold two years ago and winning World Cup gold last year. What more could you want in the Finals than a player matchup like this?
Stat Comparison
Stewart: Regular season – 23 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG | Playoffs – 19.8/9/2.8/1.2/2.8
Wilson: Regular season – 22.8 PPG, 9.5 APG, 1.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, 2.2 BPG | Playoffs – 25.8/11.2/1/1.6/3.2
Previous Meetings This Season
The Liberty and the Aces played each other a total of 6 times in the regular season. One of those games was the Commissioner’s Cup Championship. While New York won that, the two teams split the season series at 3 wins a piece.
WNBA Finals Preview Prediction
This will be an incredible series. I think it goes to a full 5 games. The Las Vegas Aces come up short in their repeat bid, with the New York Liberty taking home their first ever WNBA Championship.
