Liberty Stay Undefeated Amid Fouls, Ionescu Jokes

Breanna Stewart led the New York Liberty to an 82-77 win over the Golden State Valkyries, drawing 16 fouls and converting 15 of 19 free throws to fuel a dominant fourth quarter. The victory kept the Liberty undefeated at 5-0, while the Valkyries dropped to 2-3 for the season. Stewart’s high number of free throws sparked debate over officiating consistency in the WNBA, with both aggressive play and referee decisions coming under scrutiny. During the postgame press conference, teammate Sabrina Ionescu jokingly referenced NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 'free throw merchant' label, drawing laughter and highlighting cross-league narratives. Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder are awaiting their NBA Finals opponent as discussion of foul-drawing tactics continues in both leagues. Ongoing debates about officiating and player styles remain central topics across the WNBA and NBA.