Kamala Harris has praised the New York Liberty and its mascot, Ellie the Elephant, after the franchise clinched its first WNBA title on Sunday.

The Liberty claimed a thrilling 67-62 victory in overtime of Game 5 against the Minnesota Lynx at Barclays Center, sealing a 3-2 series victory to cap an epic season for the team. Star point guard Sabrina Ionescu had a tough night with just five points, but big contributions from Breanna Stewart, Leonie Fiebich, Jonquel Jones, and Nyarra Sabally got the job done.

Vice President Harris, who is running in next month’s presidential election against Republican nominee and former president Donald Trump, praised the Liberty on social media. The 60-year-old also singled out Eliie the Elephant, the team’s hugely popular mascot, for recognition.

“Congratulations New York Liberty on your first-ever WNBA Championship! Through a season of grit, determination, and Ellie’s unbeatable style, you have shown excellence on and off the court and inspired fans across our nation,” Harris posted on X.

President Joe Biden added his praise for the team, and hailed a breakthrough year for women’s sports in the United States. He posted ” Congrats [to the] New York Liberty on your first WNBA title! Incredible finals, proving everyone watches women’s sports!”

The Liberty finished atop the Eastern Conference in the regular season with a 32-8 record, closely followed by Western Conference leaders the Lynx (30-10). From that moment on, the teams were on a collision course, navigating through the playoffs to set up a tantalizing finals showdown.

The Liberty claimed the first title in franchise history

The Liberty claimed the first title in franchise history ( 

Image:

Getty)

And they certainly delivered, going back and forth over four games to set up a winner-takes-all Game 5 in Brooklyn. With the tension high, it turned into a gritty defensive battle, with Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBridge going off for 22 and 21 points, respectively, for the Lynx.

But the Liberty’s depth of scorers proved invaluable in the season finale, with Stewart racking up a double-double and Fiebich, Jones and Sabally all scoring more than 10 points. Ionescu had a horrid night from the floor, making just one of 19 shots, but the three-time All-Star still contributed seven rebounds and eight assists.

“I’ve been manifesting this moment for a while, there’s no feeling like it,” Stewart said. “Credit to Minnesota, they gave us a tough series. The fans have been amazing everywhere we’ve gone. To bring a championship to New York, [the] first ever in franchise history, it’s an incredible feeling. I can’t wait to continue to celebrate with the city. It’s going to be bonkers.”

Ionescu added in a video uploaded to social media: “New York, we did it. We are champs, baby. Thank you for your support all year long. See you at the parade!”