When the WNBA was launched in 1997, the goal was pretty obvious for the eight competing teams: Become the first-ever champion of the league.
Being the inaugural title-holder ensured a spot in history for all eternity, and it was a distinction that was hard to pass up.
Today, there have been 12 different champions in the WNBA, including the New York Liberty, who only won their maiden championship last season despite being one of the founding franchises of the league.
It was a full-circle moment for the Liberty, as they were also part of the first-ever WNBA Finals.
First-Ever WNBA Championship Winner
The Liberty faced off against the Houston Comets in the WNBA Finals in 1997 at the Great Western Forum in California. At that time, the battle for the championship was a do-or-die affair. Obviously, the two teams couldn’t afford to play poorly.
New York Liberty advanced to the ultimate round after beating the Phoenix Mercury in the semifinals. The Comets, meanwhile, defeated the Charlotte Sting to arrange a finals date with New York.
The Liberty were led by Rebecca Lobo, Teresa Weatherspoon, and Kym Hampton, while the Comets featured Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson.
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Houston, coached by Van Chancellor, was favored to win after dominating the season with an 18-10 record. But New York, coached by Nancy Darsh, was far from a pushover, having tallied a 17-11 card.
The all-important affair lived up to the billing. It was a tight match in the first half, with the Comets only leading by four points, 28-24. They, however, buckled down on defense in the second half and went on a 10-0 run to take control of the game. They held the Liberty scoreless for nearly six minutes.
From there, Houston never relinquished the lead and cruised to the win, 65-51, becoming the first-ever WNBA championship titleholder.
Cynthia Cooper As First-Ever WNBA Finals MVP
Cooper proved why he’s the league’s best player after leading the Rockets with 25 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field. She also added four rebounds, four assists, and two steals in a masterful all-around performance. She was named Finals MVP.
After the victory, she credited her teammates and underscored their self-belief throughout the campaign.
“There was no doubt. There was doubt in everyone’s (mind) except ours. We haven’t been afraid of hard work,” said Cooper in a report from the WNBA.
“This is what it’s all about. This is the payoff, all of the hard work, the sacrifices that we made all summer. If I could be MVP, it was because of the supporting cast I had.”
Cooper indeed had ample support, as Thompson added 18 points and six rebounds, while Tammy Jackson chipped in seven points, 11 rebounds, and two steals.
“We felt that if we could come out in the second half and play tough in the first five minutes, we could control the game,” added Cooper, who’s now enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
“I think we defended and rebounded well. We wanted to play tough, solid basketball in the first five minutes and take control of the game.”
The historic win jumpstarted the dynasty of the Comets, who ruled the WNBA for four straight seasons.
Painful Ending For The New York Liberty
The Liberty, meanwhile, were left to ponder the defeat. They found it a tough pill to swallow, especially after winning three of their four regular-season games against the Comets.
They shot a woeful 23-of-60 from the field and committed 15 turnovers. Houston limited Lobo to nine points on nine attempts.
Hampton was the lone bright spot for New York, finishing with a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Teresa Weatherspoon, who had four points and five turnovers, didn’t hide her dejection after the game.
“It’s a very painful loss for us, but at the same time, we really have to be positive about a lot of things that we’ve done that were so successful, not only for the Liberty organization but for the WNBA itself,” said Weatherspoon.
New York Liberty finally erased the stigma last season after beating the Minnesota Lynx for the WNBA championship, proving that history doesn’t always repeat itself.
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