Breanna Stewart knows that sometimes shots just don’t go in, and that’s part of the game.

Great players know how to contribute in other ways.

The New York Liberty, facing tough odds, managed to win their first WNBA championship on Sunday, despite Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu combining for only 5-of-34 shooting, making the hoop appear nearly impossible to hit.

The duo’s impact came from their other efforts. Ionescu notched eight assists—including two key passes that helped Nyara Sabally score during the third quarter, giving New York its initial lead. Meanwhile, Stewart grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds, four assists, and blocked three shots.

She also made a crucial steal in overtime when New York led by just three points with under a minute remaining.

“I approached the game with the mindset that it doesn’t matter,” Stewart said post-game. “I wanted to focus on defense, rebounding, and all those little things, while still being aggressive with my shots. But if they’re not going in, they’re not going in. That won’t change how I play.”

Despite struggling, Stewart hit 5 of 8 from the free-throw line, including two crucial shots with five seconds left in regulation to force overtime and two more with ten seconds left in OT to secure a 67-62 victory for New York.

“Before those free throws in regulation, I had missed two,” Stewart recalled. “I was thinking, no, I cannot let this happen again. Assistant coach Olaf Lange and I talked about being a python, knowing when to strike.”

“At that moment, I just focused on being a python.”

They were determined to do whatever it took to win.

For Ionescu and Stewart, this championship held special significance.

Ionescu, the star of college basketball in spring 2020, led Oregon to a top ranking and was hoping for a national title. But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, cancelling the season and the NCAA tournament.

Stewart, who has already won four college titles with UConn and two with the Seattle Storm, has roots in New York. Her first WNBA experience was attending a Liberty game at Madison Square Garden.

Leading the Liberty to their first championship—and bringing New York its first basketball title in fifty years—was a hefty responsibility, especially after last year’s Finals loss to the Las Vegas Aces weighed heavily on their minds.

“I kept thinking about today, knowing we had to give everything we had,” Stewart said. “Last year, when we lost, I knew we could have done more. This year, we weren’t going to have that feeling again.”

So both persistently shot the ball. When those shots didn’t go in, they adapted. Fighting for rebounds, making precise passes to teammates with scoring opportunities, amplifying their defense to ensure the Lynx struggled to make shots, and encouraging teammates vocally as well.

Every small effort counted.

Throughout this five-game series, both Stewart and Ionescu delivered vital performances. Who could forget Ionescu’s game-winning three-pointer in Game 3 or Stewart’s record-breaking seven steals during Game 2?

Yet, their performance on Sunday was equally remarkable. Faced with an off night shooting, they had the choice to accept defeat or to innovate and find another way.

“I’m really proud of our resilience,” Ionescu said.

Great players help their teams win titles, but true champions elevate the game.