Ahead of the first Finals rematch of the WNBA season between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday, Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve did her best to ensure the rivalry does not lose any steam. Following practice on Tuesday, Reeve was asked about Emma Meesseman’s decision to join the Liberty instead of the Lynx or Phoenix Mercury — the two other teams she was considering, per ESPN. Reeve was blunt in her assessment.
“She made the wrong choice,” Reeve said.
Meesseman, the 2019 Finals MVP with the Washington Mystics, has not played in the WNBA since 2022. Since then, she has led Belgium to two EuroBasket titles, led Fenerbahçe to two EuroLeague titles and won three consecutive EuroLeague MVP awards.
Meesseman’s decision to return to the WNBA and join the Liberty was a major coup for the reigning champions, who are hoping to become the fourth team to repeat. In her most recent WNBA campaign with the Chicago Sky in 2022, Meeseeman averaged 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals on 57.1% shooting. She’ll join Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones in New York to form the most versatile frontcourt in the league.
Emma Meesseman to rejoin WNBA after three-year hiatus, sign with Liberty as they eye another title, per report
Jasmyn Wimbish
The Liberty are still awaiting Meesseman’s arrival, which is subject to how long it takes for her to get through the visa application process. She will not be in action on Wednesday, and it’s unclear when she’ll make her Liberty debut.
“It’s too early to say right now. We’re going to try and do it as quickly as possible,” Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb said last week, per The Associated Press.
Liberty-Lynx rivalry emerging after heated Finals
Regardless of when Meesseman is cleared to play, her decision to join the Liberty instead of the Lynx adds a new wrinkle to the budding rivalry.
The extremely competitive 2024 Finals went the full five games, and ended in controversial fashion with the Liberty’s overtime win in Game 5. After blowing an early double-digit advantage in that contest, the Lynx went ahead with just over a minute to play on a Napheesa Collier bucket. They were still clinging to that two-point lead in the final seconds when Alanna Smith was called for a foul on Stewart, who made both free throws to send the game to overtime. The Liberty then pulled away in the extra frame.
Afterward, Reeve said the game — and the championship — was “stolen” from the Lynx.
“I know all the headlines will be ‘Reeve Cries Foul.’ Bring it on, right. Bring it on,” Reeve said in a lengthy postgame rant. “Because this shit was stolen from us. Bring it on.”
A few days later, Collier said she didn’t think she would ever be able to get over the loss.
“I think that loss is something I’ll never get over,” Collier said. “To have it end that way where it just feels super unjust, I don’t think that’s something I’ll be able to get over.”
The Lynx have been a team on a mission this season, and enter Wednesday with a 21-5 record and a four-game lead on the Liberty in the race for the No. 1 overall seed. While the Liberty have looked incredible when healthy, they’ve rarely had their full roster together due to injuries. Notably, they will likely be without Stewart, Nyara Sabally and Kennedy Burke in Minneapolis.
In a strange bit of scheduling, Wednesday’s meeting will be the first of four between the Lynx and Liberty over the next three weeks. At one point in August, the Lynx will play three consecutive games against the Liberty. Here’s a look at the upcoming matchups:
- July 30: Liberty at Lynx, 8 p.m. ET
- Aug. 10: Lynx at Liberty, 12:30 p.m. ET
- Aug. 16: Liberty at Lynx, 2 p.m. ET on CBS
- Aug. 19: Lynx at Liberty, 7 p.m. ET
While the Lynx have a comfortable lead atop the standings right now, that could all change a month from now.
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