New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones responded to recent comments by Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams, who called the Liberty a “punk-a** team” during a livestream appearance alongside teammate Natisha Hiedeman and newly signed guard Jaylyn Sherrod.
The comment, made after Sherrod joined the Lynx earlier this month following her release from the Liberty, added fuel to what’s already become one of the WNBA’s most heated rivalries.
When asked about the remark, Jones said, “It's kind of been taking me aback a little bit, to be honest with you. So I don't know. I haven't had a chance to really talk to her in person yet, but it's just, it is what it is,” as reported by Lucas Kaplan of Swish Theory on Bluesky.
Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello also weighed in Monday ahead of the two teams’ final regular-season meeting, saying she confronted Hiedeman about the comment in jest and acknowledged the existence of a rivalry.
“I heard about the ‘punk-a**’ thing,” Brondello said, as reported by Jack Maloney of CBS Sports. “I saw Jaylyn and I saw Natisha Hiedeman and I said ‘Who’s calling us a punk-a** team?’ And she said, ‘Not me, not me!’ I think rivalries are great. Do we have a rivalry? They play it down. Of course we have a rivalry, and it’s great for the league.”
The teams have had a tense history, particularly after last year’s WNBA Finals, where the Liberty defeated the Lynx in five games. Two of those games went to overtime, and Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said afterward the championship was “stolen,” citing officiating. MVP candidate Napheesa Collier later said she would “never get over” the loss.
Minnesota has won all three meetings against New York this season, though both teams have battled injuries. Breanna Stewart has missed all three contests for the Liberty, and Collier has been absent for the Lynx’s last two games.
The Liberty currently sit in third place and are fighting for playoff positioning. A postseason rematch with Minnesota remains possible, and with added tension perhaps inevitable.
