Brooklyn — The New York Liberty are pursued by a familiar energy as they push toward a repeat title, reinforced by the addition of Emma Meesseman. The Belgians’ arrival means a reunion for Meesseman and Jonquel Jones, who faced off in the 2019 Finals when Jones starred for the Connecticut Sun and Meesseman dominated for the Washington Mystics.
Jones welcomed the move with a smile, noting how meaningful it is to now share the floor with a player she once battled in the crown clash. “I’m just happy that she’s here and I get to play with her, not against her,” Jones said after the Liberty’s Tuesday night victory over Dallas. “My greatest heartbreak is now my greatest joy, because I lost to them in the championship in 2019. But I’m just happy to be able to call both of them my teammates now, and just happy that you get to have all these amazing players that you get to step on the court with.”
Meesseman’s impact on that 2019 championship run remains part of the sport’s lore. In that series, she delivered a Finals MVP performance that helped Washington lift the trophy, while Jones posted strong numbers for the Sun. The two players eventually evolved into stars in their own rights, and last season Jones joined Meesseman in the MVP dialogue as the Liberty defeated Minnesota in a five-game Finals tilt that cemented Jones’ Finals pedigree.
The Liberty’s latest reunion isn’t just about nostalgia. Meesseman has long been someone Jones could lean on, and the two have overlapping pasts on the global stage: they played together for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia and are set to reunite again with Fenerbahçe in Turkey after the WNBA season wraps. That shared history, plus Natisha Cloud’s emergence as a fan favorite in New York, has many inside the league envisioning a seamless transition to a more potent, repeat-ready lineup.
Cloud, who hoisted the 2019 championship with Washington, has spoken openly about how rewarding it is to rejoin Meesseman in Brooklyn. “I really do feel like this is special,” Cloud said after Meesseman’s Brooklyn debut. “Emma’s just so smooth, so tough, so versatile. She can score at will. She facilitates us really well, and she’s a big body on the other end.” Cloud added that embracing Meesseman’s presence and leadership should help the Liberty maintain their momentum as the season unfolds.
For Meesseman, the lure is as much about the fit as the player chemistry. She spoke about what makes this particular pairing with Cloud and Jones promising: leadership, stability, and a clear path to a strong, selfless team identity. “Everything I start, you go into the end to have fun and to have a good team around you, good family,” Meesseman said. “But in the end, you want to win … The main goal is to be able to know you gave everything, no regrets. I think, with this team, if you go give everything, it should have a great result.”
The path isn’t without its historical footnotes. The Mystics’ 2019 title run came during a period that included Washington’s COVID-19 bubble season in Bradenton, Florida, and the shifting rosters that followed—Meesseman’s own move to the Chicago Sky in 2022 and Cloud’s departure to Phoenix, leaving a different core by the time the 2024 postseason rolled around. Nine players from the 2019 Finals era had moved on from the Mystics by the time Brooklyn’s newest assembly began to take shape, underscoring how much the league’s landscape has changed since those memory-filled days.
Still, the combination of Meesseman, Jones, and Cloud represents a powerful bridge between past success and a hopeful future. Meesseman’s praise for Cloud’s leadership—and her belief that they can recapture a championship rhythm—speaks to a shared ambition: to maximize their talent and pursue a title with the Liberty’s current core, while also honoring the experiences that helped shape them.
As Brooklyn continues to integrate Meesseman into the lineup, the early vibe is one of confidence and excitement. The players themselves speak to a sense of comfort and belonging in a city that’s embraced a new era of Liberty basketball, with a fanbase ready to rally behind a squad that combines veteran know-how with a fresh, dynamic approach.
What this means going forward
– A proven Finals performer in Meesseman joins a core that already includes Jones and Cloud, giving Brooklyn a versatile, high-IQ frontcourt and a more robust two-way presence.
– The reunion of players who have shared international and WNBA paths could accelerate on-court chemistry, enabling more fluid ball movement and smarter defensive schemes.
– If the Liberty can maintain this integrated, player-led approach, they could elevate their ceiling in the pursuit of a second consecutive title.
Summary takeaways
– Emma Meesseman’s arrival in Brooklyn reinforces the Liberty’s title ambitions and creates an intriguing reunion with Jonquel Jones and Natasha Cloud.
– The trio’s combined experience, including past championships and international play, could translate to improved leadership and on-court cohesion.
– The Liberty appear poised to leverage a blend of veteran savvy and new energy as they chase back-to-back championships.
A hopeful note: if this group can translate their shared history into sustained on-court trust and a fearless, team-first mindset, fans have a compelling reason to believe the Liberty’s pursuit of a repeat could become a reality.