Liberty stars shine at Met Gala
New York's Big Three attends fashion fete
WNBA Finals MVP Jonquel Jones was one of three Liberty stars who showed off their fashion sense at the 2025 Met Gala Monday night. Photo by Brandon Todd/New York Liberty
Less than two weeks from now, the reigning WNBA champion New York Liberty will begin defense of their title at Downtown’s Barclays Center.
Monday night at the Metropolitan Museum of Art across the East River, the Liberty’s three biggest stars proved they could shine off the hardwood as well as on it.
Finals Most Valuable Player Jonquel Jones, two-time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart and All-Star Sabrina Ionescu attended the annual Met Gala in New York City, strutting their stuff in the latest art fashion rather than tanks tops and baggy shorts.
“Attending with my Liberty teammates shows that we can be just as fierce on the court as off the court — especially in a city like New York City,” said Ionescu, who wore a custom white bralette paired with a black tailcoat tuxedo jacket lined in white.
She paired that with a black evening skirt. Stephen Russell jewels, a Sondra Roberts bag and Jimmy Choo shoes, according to a team-issued release.
Ionescu didn’t wear the Olympic gold medal both she and Stewart won in Paris last summer.
Nor has either received their 2024 WNBA championship rings yet, saving the revealing of that bling for Opening Night on May 17, when the Liberty will host the rival Las Vegas Aces in Brooklyn.
“It’s an incredible honor to attend this year’s Met Gala—a night where fashion meets art, and creativity is celebrated on the world’s most iconic stage,” Ionescu noted.
All three Liberty stars were dressed to impress by designer Sergio Hudson, with some help from stylist Courtney Mays.
“Having the opportunity to work with Sergio Hudson and wear one of his custom creations makes it even more unforgettable—his vision, craftsmanship, and bold elegance perfectly embody the spirit of the evening,” Ionescu added.
Jones, who rocked a custom double-breasted jacket in croc-embossed leather, paired with black crepe bootcut trousers, waited eight years to earn her first championship bauble, losing a pair of WNBA Finals in Connecticut and one with the Liberty in 2023.
But last year, the 6-foot-6 power forward was instrumental in the Liberty grabbing Title I. She averaged 15.5 points and 8.8 rebounds during New York’s 11-game postseason run to the Canyon of Heroes.
Jones looked a lot less intimidating on the Met Gala red carpet than she does defending the paint at Barclays, wearing a a Hublot watch, Jennifer Behr hair accessories, Magnanni Shoes and Saidian Vintage Jewels.
“It’s an honor to represent our team, women’s basketball, and our fans at the Met Gala—in the city where we made history,” she said.
“This is a powerful moment and I’m so proud to be wearing Sergio Hudson on the carpet—a visionary Black designer and a powerful force in the fashion industry who has created a unique look that represents me and my style.”
Stewart was not to be outdone by her teammates.
She once again elevated her game, much the way she did by putting up a team-high 19.4 points per game in last year’s playoffs, wearing a custom ivory tuxedo paired with a hand-embroidered sequin blouse and a matching overcoat.
Stewart was also adorned with an AP watch, Saint Laurent boots, Spinelli Kilcolin earrings and rings, Edward Avedis brooches and a Monrowe hat.
“Basketball taught me how to be comfortable in my skin. Fashion lets me tell that story in a different language – one that speaks to legacy, to detail, to presence,” Stewart said.
“Wearing Sergio Hudson tonight felt like honoring craft and culture at the same time, and recognizing the deeper history this year’s theme invites us to reflect on. And honestly, that’s what we do on the court too. We show up with intention, carry history forward, and make it our own.”
They couldn’t do it at all if it weren’t for an ownership group that put together the league’s “Superteam” following New York’s hasty first-round exit from the playoffs in 2022.
That’s when free-agent superstars Jones and Stewart decided to bring their respective games to Brooklyn, where the Liberty will be chasing a repeat all summer long.
Liberty co-owner and Team Governor Clara Wu Tsai made sure to represent the team brass at the Met Gala as well.
She wore a custom black strapless mermaid crepe gown, featuring front button detailing and finished with white Chantilly lace trim at the hem, with her own jewelry, a Tyler Ellis clutch and Saint Laurent shoes.
“I am excited to attend the Met Gala alongside WNBA champions Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu, and Breanna Stewart,” Wu Tsai said. “It is a powerful platform where culture, creativity, and visibility intersect, and a chance to represent women’s sports and leadership.
“This is an opportunity for us to express ourselves through fashion in a way that reflects our values—strength, purpose, and individuality—while standing alongside iconic figures in art, fashion, and activism.”
Jones came to our borough to win a championship. But she might never have imagined that it would earn her an invite to one of the top haute couture events in the world.
“I’ve stepped into so many spaces I never could have even imagined as a kid, and the Met Gala is no exception,” she gushed. “I am so fortunate to be living my truth in a design that simultaneously makes me feel confident and creatively pushes boundaries.
“Tonight I’ll stand alongside my fellow champions – Clara, Stewie, and Sab – and show the world that women athletes both belong in and dominate these cultural spaces.”
A repeat championship may earn the Liberty another invitation to the fashion festival next year.
Not that they need the extra motivation.
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