Before looking ahead to the 2026 Commissioner’s Cup Championship game between the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces on June 30, 2026, it’s worth revisiting two dates that helped shape this rivalry: Dec. 31, 2021, and Feb. 8, 2023.

On New Year’s Eve 2021, the Aces hired franchise legend Becky Hammon as their head coach. It was a move that propelled Las Vegas to championship glory after falling short in three consecutive postseasons — losing in the semifinals in 2019 and 2021, and the Finals in 2020. Since then, the Aces have won three of the last four WNBA titles.

On Feb. 8, 2023, the Liberty signed Breanna Stewart as a free agent, transforming New York from a team coming off five consecutive sub-.500 seasons into an instant championship contender. The Liberty reached the Finals in Stewart’s debut season in seafoam, and she helped deliver the franchise’s first championship a year later.

Since 2023, the Aces and Liberty have been the WNBA’s two most dominant forces. They own the league’s two best regular-season winning percentages over that span and have backed it up in the postseason, combining to win each of the past three WNBA championships.

Their sustained excellence is reflected in the league standings since 2023.

In 2023, the Aces and Liberty crossed paths in both the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game (won by New York) and the WNBA Finals (won by Las Vegas). Now they meet once again with hardware on the line. When they take the floor next Tuesday at Barclays Center, both teams will look to capture their second Commissioner’s Cup title.

A Heavyweight Rivalry

Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces plays defense against Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty during game 4 of the 2023 WNBA Finals

The history between these two teams is deep, tightly contested, and layered with championship pedigree.

• The Finals Clash: New York and Las Vegas met in the 2023 WNBA Finals, where the Aces secured a 3-1 series victory to become the first WNBA team in over two decades to win back-to-back championships. Since then, both franchises have added to their trophy cases, with the Liberty capturing the WNBA title in 2024 and the Aces reclaiming the throne in 2025.
• Cup History: This game marks the third time each franchise has reached the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game. Las Vegas took home the title in 2022, while New York won it in 2023 with an 82-63 blowout victory over the Aces. The Liberty returned to the title game in 2024 but fell short against Minnesota.
• All-Time Ledger: Historically, New York owns a razor-thin advantage in this rivalry between two of the WNBA’s original franchises (the Aces’ history dates back to San Antonio). In regular-season play, the Liberty lead 35-33. Their postseason rivalry is deadlocked at 4-4, while New York holds a 1-0 edge in Commissioner’s Cup Championship Games.

Recent History & Present Form

Jewell Loyd #24 of the Las Vegas Aces during the game against the New York Liberty on June 23, 2026

Since 2023, these teams have met 20 times across the regular season, playoffs, and Commissioner’s Cup combined. Here’s a breakdown of that history:

• Regular Season: Liberty 8, Aces 3
• Playoffs: Liberty 4, Aces 4 (each won a series 3-1: Aces in the 2023 Finals, Liberty in the 2024 Semifinals)
• Commissioner’s Cup: Liberty 1, Aces 0

Overall, the Liberty own a 13-7 edge during that stretch and enter Tuesday having won 10 of the last 12 meetings. This includes their first matchup this season on June 23, just one week ahead of the Commissioner’s Cup final.

In that contest, Stewart led the way with 20 points, while Sabrina Ionescu added a double-double (16 points and 10 rebounds), as the Liberty never trailed after the game’s opening minutes en route to an 87-76 road win.

It was New York’s fifth win in its last 11 road games against Las Vegas. Meanwhile, the Aces have found little comfort at Barclays Center, securing just one win in their last nine meetings in Brooklyn—the championship-clinching Game 4 in 2023.

If the Aces hope to hoist their second Commissioner’s Cup, they will need to win in Brooklyn for only the second time in the last four years. So far this season, Las Vegas has been a sharper road team (8-2) than they have at home (4-3). Can they continue that trend with the Commissioner’s Cup trophy—and the lion’s share of the $500,000 prize pool—on the line?

New York earned the right to host the Championship Game after finishing Cup play with a perfect 6-0 record against fellow Eastern Conference opponents, while the Aces won the West with a 6-1 mark. 

The MVP Vanguard

A’ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces and Breanna Stewart #30 of the New York Liberty during the Semi-Finals Round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs

Beyond the team storylines, this matchup is a showcase of elite individual talent, featuring all three active WNBA players who have claimed league MVP honors since 2018:

• A’ja Wilson (2020, 2022, 2024, 2025)
• Breanna Stewart (2018, 2023)
• Jonquel Jones (2021)

Wilson enters the game playing some of the most dominant basketball of her career, leading the WNBA in both scoring (25.1 points per game) and blocks (2.1 per game).

The star-studded affair also features three of the league’s premier rebounders. Wilson currently ranks fourth in the WNBA with 9.1 rebounds per game, closely trailed by the Liberty’s twin-tower frontcourt of Jones (8.8 RPG, 5th) and Stewart (8.8 RPG, 6th).

If the Aces hope to reverse their recent slide against New York and claim their second Commissioner’s Cup, Wilson will likely need to set a physical tone early. However, with the Liberty entering Tuesday undefeated in Commissioner’s Cup play, boasting a 10-2 record in their last 12 meetings with Las Vegas, and holding home-court advantage at Barclays Center, New York carries a slight edge into this blockbuster championship clash.