New York sports fans had a night to remember on Friday as Breanna Stewart and Jalen Brunson led the New York Liberty and New York Knicks, respectively, to marquee wins. Stewart and the Liberty opened their 2026 WNBA season against the Connecticut Sun with a 106-75 blowout win. Stewart made a compelling case for a third MVP with a 31-point game. She added 10 rebounds and three blocks, while shooting 10 of 17.
Meanwhile, Brunson led the Knicks to an improbable 3-0 series lead against the Philadelphia 76ers in the conference semis. He had 33 points, five rebounds and nine assists on 50.0% shooting as the Knicks handed a 108-94 loss to the 76ers on their home floor.
New York sports fans couldn’t have asked for a better outcome, especially with their star players coming out on top. Here’s how they reacted after Stewart and Brunson’s spirited performances:
Breanna Stewart makes feelings clear on Liberty turning the page after Sandy Brondello’s era ends
Breanna Stewart and the Liberty have started a new era under coach Chris DeMarco following several successful seasons under former coach Sandy Brondello. The Liberty fired the 2024 WNBA championship-winning coach after the team failed to get past the first round in their title defense last year.
After a thrilling start to the new era, Stewart sent a message to Liberty fans and the rest of the league about the team’s intentions this year, saying (via Liberty reporter Madeline Kenney):
“We wanted to punch first knowing that this is a season opener, home opener, a lot of different thing… but this is us turning the page & turning the chapter a little bit and focusing on what we have now.”
The Liberty got the perfect start despite missing Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally. Ionescu suffered an ankle injury and preseason, while Sabally was out due to a cyst.
