The Liberty entered the 2025 WNBA playoffs carrying the weight of champions. Last season’s run raised expectations of both contention and continuity; they were bent on showing all and sundry that they possessed the resiliency to retain the crown. Yesterday, however, the dream was damned for good, with the final score of 79-73 in favor of the Mercury telling only part of the story. The loss in the rubber match of the first round was not borne of a collapse; neither was it a shock in and of itself. Rather, it resulted from the inevitable convergence of all the factors that had slowly undermined their season. And, in the process, the belief that grit and talent could overcome circumstance was exposed as an illusion.
Not surprisingly, Most Valuable Player candidate Alyssa Thomas set the tone for the Mercury; the first-of-its-kind 20-point triple-double underscored a trademark capacity to bend the game as required. Meanwhile, the Liberty leaned heavily on Breanna Stewart, who played through a sprained knee to put up 30, nine, three, two, and two. That she scored all 14 of their points in the fourth quarter was as much a reflection of her will as proof of their deficiencies. Not only were they atrocious from deep; more critically, they could not overcome a significant rebounding deficit that had them giving up too many second, and third, chances.
The larger truth was that the Liberty had been skating on thin margins all season. Injuries disrupted any chance of rhythm, limiting the time their Big Three of Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones could share the floor. Chemistry failed to take root, leading to myriad empty possessions and inconsistent coverage. By the time the playoffs arrived, the seafoam were compelled to once more lean on individual brilliance rather than the collective confidence required by a title defense. Depth became an iffy proposition, and role players—including prized midseason acquisition Emma Meesseman—struggled to provide relief when the starters were stretched.
Interestingly, a pointed query about whether Sandy Brondello should remain at the helm came the end of a sobering post-mortem. Stewart’s response—an emphatic defense of her coach’s leadership—was immediate and unwavering, and insofar as silver linings go, few are better than the instinctive riposte. It also says as much about the Liberty as the loss itself. And in the harsh light of defeat, the show of solidarity may yet provide value. If nothing else, it is a stark reminder that culture sustains a team through difficult stretches.
Still, other hard questions will not wait for the Liberty. Every player on the roster is a free agent this offseason, a quirk of timing that makes the future murkier. Continuity, already elusive, is no longer guaranteed. And in the face of disappointment, the front office must weigh whether to keep the core intact or retool around it. General Manager Jonathan Kolb and Brondello know that health, depth, and balance cannot be left to chance once more. At the same time, decisions about loyalty and legacy now intersect with the blunt realities of contract and cap. The standard they once reached remains within sight, but the path back to the top is steeper, and the names that take it may not be the same. The 2025 campaign thus ends with irony. The standards are still high, but who will aim to meet them outside of franchise cornerstone Stewart is anybody’s guess.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
