Brooklyn WNBA fans filled the arena to capacity on Aug. 20 to watch the New York Liberty secure a decisive win during Women’s Empowerment Night.
The ladies returned to their home court for the first time since the Olympic break, determined to keep their eyes on the prize. Despite the break and the absence of two key players — Sabrina Ionescu, who was sidelined with a neck injury, and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, recovering from knee surgery — the Liberty applied pressure to the Wings, defeating them 94-74.
When discussing what the win meant to them, especially on their celebratory Empowerment Night, the players told Brooklyn Paper how much the dub demonstrates their resilience and strength as athletes.

Jonquel Jones, a power forward for the Liberty who finished the night with a double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds, said that togetherness is one of the team’s greatest strengths and what helps them deliver wins in the face of opposition.
“We bounce back after tough losses. When personal things happen we still have to go out there and play our best. A lot of resilience in this team,” she said. “Togetherness, encouraging each other and lifting each other up.”
Breanna Stewart, who recently returned from Paris where she won gold for Team USA in women’s basketball, led the team in points and scored her 12th double-double of the season.
According to Stewart, while last night’s celebration was special, it also highlights a broader flaw in how society views the league and women overall.
“The fact that we have Women’s Empowerment Night kind of shows that we have a long way to go because we have to have a night that highlights [women]” she told Brooklyn Paper. “Women’s Empowerment should be an everyday thing. Continue to give women the opportunity and the platform…it’s what we’re all constantly fighting for. Who doesn’t want to celebrate women?”
Coach Sandy Brondello, who secured the win on her birthday, highlighted the team’s impressive stats and their ability to support one another through both struggles and triumphs.
“They’re just amazing women. They inspire me every day to get better,” she said before the game. “Just with how they come to work every day, how they support each other — it’s very special.”
That inspiration was evident during the match.
Courtney Vandersloot, a veteran player and one of the best point guards in the game according to Brondello, came out of the second half with a fire that carried the team through the remainder of the game.

With Ionescu out, Vandersloot, known as ‘Sloot,’ knew she’d have more contact. Despite a few missteps and faulty passes in the first half, she finished with her first double-double of the season, scoring a season-high 15 points and adding a season-high 11 assists. Vandersloot also set a new record for the most career points and assists double-doubles by any player in WNBA history against a single opponent.
“We’re headed in the right direction. A lot of growth has happened,” she said.
In celebration of the league and the women who make the sport what it is, the point guard discussed some changes she’d like to see in the game, including more media coverage, more televised games and higher salaries.
“We’re on the right track but we still have more room to grow,” she told Brooklyn Paper after the game.
D.J. Sperling, an enthusiastic fan, also spoke on the disparity between the WNBA and NBA, noting that it’s difficult to talk about women’s empowerment without mentioning the pay gaps between the leagues.

“Women’s Empowerment is about being proud of who you are as a person. When you’re a woman, you realize you have different rules to play by. It’s moments like these where we’re proud,” she said. “But women and men in sports should be equal. There should be no disparity.”
With WNBA viewership on the rise and teams like the Liberty setting new attendance records, many are eager to see if this momentum will lead to the compensation these players deserve.
“Women’s sports are essential,” Martha Nadell, who came out to the Aug. 20 game with her 12-year-old daughter. “It’s important for young girls to see powerful, strong, accomplished women who can really hold their own.”
The Liberty will face the Dallas Wings again on Aug. 22 at Barclays Center.