The third annual Commissioner’s Cup was imbued with a different weight than the in-season tournaments of years past. Yes, there was a consequential $500,000 prize pool (which is nothing to scoff at) to play for, but superteam bragging rights were also at stake.
The Commissioner’s Cup trophy is headed to New York, with the Liberty swiping the crown from the Aces, defeating the reigning champions 82–63 in front of a Las Vegas crowd Tuesday.
Touted as WNBA title favorites since the preseason, many have forecasted an Aces-Liberty superteam showdown for the finals. Las Vegas and New York split results ahead of the Commissioner’s Cup, with the Aces beating the Liberty 98–81 in June before New York returned the favor with a 99–61 blowout over Las Vegas on Aug. 6. Hoisting the trophy, the Liberty solidified themselves as the giants to slay, holding the edge—at least until Thursday when the teams face off again in a regular-season matchup.
