"Already coming for us" - Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu makes her feelings clear about added pressure of defending title with more competition in WNBA

During the 2025 WNBA season, Sabrina Ionescu claims that the New York Liberty will face added pressure as they are set to embark on the journey to defend their title. Even with the regular season being two months away, Ionescu can sense the Liberty having a target on their backs.

“Already coming for us,” the three-time All-Star claimed.

For some teams, winning a second title can be easier due to the experience gained. However, Ionescu believes that the rising level of competition in the WNBA will make the Liberty’s title defense just as challenging as their victorious run last year.

“I would say probably the hardest thing to have to do is win your first one: that pressure of not having done it yet and then finally doing it. But I would say defending one is probably just as hard. Everyone understands that you won the year before and you have to be better than you were that last year,” Sabrina Ionescu said.

The WNBA's expansion is set to be one of the key factors contributing to this challenge. The Golden State Valkyries, the Toronto Tempo, and a Portland-based franchise will soon be added to the league. With new teams entering the mix, the competition for the championship is only expected to increase.

Adding to the uncertainty is the possibility of a league lockout. This could complicate the Liberty’s path to back-to-back titles. The uncertainty surrounding the league adds another layer of complexity to the Liberty’s title defense.

Sabrina Ionescu and the Liberty will host the Aces in their season opener

The WNBA has released its 2025 season schedule, with the defending champions, the New York Liberty, set to open their campaign at home. They will face the Las Vegas Aces at the Barclays Center in a highly anticipated rematch of the 2024 playoff semifinals.

Sabrina Ionescu was instrumental in the Liberty’s dominance over A’ja Wilson and the Aces last season, leading New York to a 3-0 regular-season sweep. The star guard averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists in those matchups.

She elevated her performance even further in the postseason, posting improved numbers—17.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game—despite the lower-scoring nature of the four contests.

Following their May 17 showdown, the Liberty will embark on a two-game road trip, taking on Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky on May 22 before facing Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on May 23.