Kayla Thornton had a birthday to remember as her inspired play energized the Liberty

It was the perfect way to mark Thornton’s best birthday ever, especially after helping deliver the New York Liberty’s first WNBA championship in franchise history.

Her sweaty fingerprints were all over the New York Liberty’s 67-62 overtime victory over the Minnesota Lynx in Game Five of an epic, exhilarating, and exhausting WNBA Finals Sunday night at Barclays Center. Thornton seized her moment in front of a raucous crowd, delivering a performance that will be forever etched in Liberty history.

Long after the Liberty’s press conference ended, Thornton greeted the media in a Barclays Center hallway after midnight beneath numerous photos, including one of Demi Lovato as an invisible adversary was finally conquering her.

Forget cake and ice cream; Thornton enjoyed the ultimate treat of victory, which served as a personal triumph for her.

“God is good,” a relieved and satisfied Thornton shared with The Next. “I don’t think the feelings have hit yet. That champagne hit … But, no, it was a long journey. It was a long journey. And, you know, we fought, we fought, we fought, the sacrifices that we put in and stuff like that. And to see it payoff is just, just a blessing.”

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As 18,090 fans sat nervously on the edge of their seats throughout the game, Thornton celebrated her 32nd birthday by diving on the floor, being aggressive, forcing jump balls, and playing a series-high 21 minutes. She played a combined 19 minutes in two games in Minnesota.

In a truly memorable series, Thornton’s energy shifted momentum — especially in the second quarter — in helping New York regain its equilibrium.

She let out euphoric roars following the numerous defensive masterpieces she created whenever she disrupted the Lynx offense. When she re-entered the game with 2:49 left in the second and the Liberty trailing 32-20, Thornton’s defensive intensity sparked a 27-12 run that eventually put New York up 47-44 at the end of three periods.

“First of all, shout out to Minnesota,” Thornton said. “Shout out to the team. They’re a great team, and they made us earn it. I’ll say that … I just came in and tried to give my team an extra spark, give them something they needed to turn the game around. Because that first half was hard … I think just every play, the work I put in on defense, and the little things, the ball pressure, deflection, and stuff like that came into play.”

Thornton’s long road to being a champion included overcoming the adversity of going un-drafted out of the University of Texas El Paso and waived by the Mystics. Her sacrifices and hard work paid off, as she never doubted that she’d be able to fulfill her dream of playing in the WNBA.

It’s hard to believe, watching Thornton lead the Liberty with her passion, grit, and toughness that she didn’t play in the 2016 WNBA season after being waived by the Mystics in May of that year. After going un-drafted in 2014, Thornton initially signed with the San Antonio Stars and then the Mystics, but she struggled to find a permanent spot in the league.

A portrait of resilience, Thornton never gave up. Instead, she went overseas to play professionally to enhance and expand her game before returning to the WNBA in 2017, where she eventually established herself as a key player for the Dallas Wings, and now the Liberty.

“I just always been staying ready for the moment with just the things that I bring,” Thornton said. “I knew that tonight, our offense wasn’t really going the way we wanted to, so it was going to be defense, so I just came in and did what I had to.”

Many forget that Thornton arrived to the Liberty along with WNBA Finals MVP Jonquel Jones as part of a blockbuster three-team trade with Connecticut and Dallas in 2023. Thornton has been a critical contributor for the Liberty over the last two years and has played in every game since joining the Liberty. This past season, Thornton made a career-best 45 3-pointers.

“You know that you can’t control trades,” Thornton said. “I’m just grateful that God put me in another position and opened another door for me … We could have (won) last year, but God has his reasons. Delayed but not denied. I think today is the perfect reason … We finally got our blessing.”

While Thornton excelled in the little things that often go unnoticed in the box score, Nyara Sabally stole the spotlight with a performance few expected. Sabally scored nine of her 13 points during New York’s difference-making third quarter, in which it outscored Minnesota 20-10.

Sabally, who also overcame injury challenges during her career, scored seven straight Liberty points during a scintillating third-quarter stretch. She gave the Liberty their first lead of the contest, 40-38, with 3:07 remaining.

Later in overtime, Sabally made a steal and scored, expanding New York’s lead to 65-60, its largest advantage of the game with 3:14 remaining. Also, after committing an offensive foul in overtime, Sabally blocked Napheesa Collier‘s shot on the next possession when it looked like she had an easy basket that would’ve brought Minnesota to within one point. Finally, she secured the final rebound of the game and the 2024 WNBA season with 14 seconds remaining.

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“Nyara was big for us,” Thornton said. “You know, I always tell the bench, stay ready because you never know when you’ll be able to impact the game. She stayed ready, came in, and took the game over. So, I’m just proud of her. I’m proud of the bench. I’m proud of us for just staying ready for any moment.”

Sabally played a combined 15 minutes in two of the four games against the Las Vegas Aces. In this series, especially during the second half of Game Five, as Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello utilized a bigger lineup to help neutralize the Lynx, Sabally played a prominent role. The fans acknowledged it by chanting “Sa-bally, Sa-bally” during the postgame trophy presentation. She had a whole arena chanting her name in appreciation of her impactful performance.

“I feel like throughout the whole season, it’s been unwavering support, whether from Sandy or my teammates and in general, everybody in this organization has always kind of believed in me, which means so much,” Sabally said. “They drafted me knowing I had to sit out a year. That just shows how much trust they have in me.

“I feel like this whole season, every time I’m on the floor, my teammates have my back and tell me just to keep going, work hard. It means the world to be able to have players like Stewie and JJ, who I’ve looked up to my whole career, be my teammates and now win a championship with them. That’s something that I will remember forever.”

During tough moments throughout her career, Thornton’s faith and family sustained her. Sharing her birthday celebration with her loved ones and all of New York was a gift she cherished, especially for those who had waited 28 years—and an extra five minutes—for this moment.

“My parents mean everything to me,” Thornton said. “So, to be able for them to be here to let them see this, and be able to fly them out is a blessing,” Thornton said. “They’re both retired, so it’s a big night for me. It’s my birthday. My parents and my loved ones are here. So, I don’t know. I like to say God is good… This is the greatest birthday present ever.

“Not a lot of people get to say that they can win a championship on their birthday. So, for me to do that for my team is great.”

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