The team struggled with injuries to star players Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu this year.

Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty, one year removed from winning a championship, were eliminated from the 2025 WNBA Playoffs in the opening round, falling to the Phoenix Mercury 2-1. This came despite taking an early 1-0 series lead and holding home-court advantage.

The New York Liberty’s front office didn’t wait long to address fans after the defending WNBA champions were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. This

Stewart and Ionescu also indicated their expectations to return to the Liberty in 2026, but questions linger about the overall makeup of the roster. Laney-Hamilton was sorely missed, and her absence had a trickle-down effect on Fiebich, who struggled in a larger role.

So end the 2025 New York Liberty. It’s probably better this way, given the most likely alternative was a demolition at the hands of the Minnesota Lynx, a series that probably would’ve ended at the Barclays Center, with Cheryl Reeve, Courtney Williams, and Napheesa Collier talking a WHOLE bunch of mess after those bitter WNBA Finals a year ago.