Kristian Winfield: Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart lead Liberty to Commissioner Cup title

Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News on Jun 30, 2026

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NEW YORK — Ahead of tipoff of the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup at Barclays Center on Tuesday, Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon laid out the game: “This rivalry starts with Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson,” Hammon said. “They are two generational talents who happen to be in their prime at the same time.”

Hammon was right. The Cup and its result hinged on the two superstar talents, a two-time MVP and three-time champion in Stewart against Wilson, a three-time champion, two-time MVP and four-time Defensive Player of the Year recently crowned the basketball G.W.O.A.T. (Greatest Woman Of All Time).

At least on paper.

In reality, Wilson, who severely turned her ankle in Sunday’s victory over the Chicago Sky, did not play in the Cup on Tuesday. And as a result, the Commissioner’s Cup was more like the Predictable Cup: The Liberty, with all the firepower in the world, were too much for the Aces, without their franchise cornerstone, to overcome.

Sabrina Ionescu proved her back is just fine, and questionable officiating dragged the Cup on far too long, but the Liberty, following a brief fourth-quarter scare, walked through the Aces in a 93-85 victory.

The Liberty have now won two of the last four Commissioner’s Cups.

They wouldn’t have done it on Tuesday without Ionescu, the four-time All-Star and two-time WNBA 3-Point Champion who posted miserable shooting splits through the first eight games of her return to action from a back injury sustained in preseason play.

Ionescu erupted for 17 first-half points against the Aces to lead the Liberty to a game-high 17-point lead with just over eight minutes of play left in the third quarter. It was a welcome sight for a big-game player who’d shot below 35% from the field and just 27% from 3-point range for only 9.5 points a night in her first eight games back in action after the May 3 injury.

Ionescu shot 3 of 5 in the first quarter and 3 of 7 in the second for 17 points in the opening two periods of Cup play after failing to reach 17 points in any of her preceding regular-season games. She made another 3 with just over 3:30 left in the fourth quarter to put the Liberty up 11 late and then put the Aces away for good with a 3 to give New York a 93-85 lead with 15.7 seconds left in regulation.

Ionescu finished with 26 points on 9-of-19 shooting from the field. Breanna Stewart posted 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting, 11 rebounds and four assists.

Without Wilson, who is averaging 25.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, two blocks and 1.6 steals per game, Jackie Young scored 31 points and backup guard Chennedy Carter torched the Liberty for 18 points on 50% shooting off the bench, but Young blew a bunny, coast-to-coast layup attempt in the final minute of regulation.

Meanwhile, boos rained down from the Barclays Center stands after Leonie Fiebich picked up her fifth personal foul with 6:55 left in the fourth quarter. The foul was the 35th of the night. There were more foul calls (22) than minutes played (20) in the first half. The frequency of foul calls has been a growing concern both for the WNBA product on the court and the fan experience off of it. There were 43 total foul calls on Tuesday night: 24 against the Liberty, 19 more against the Aces.