"Liberty saved by the refs" - WNBA fans react after Breanna Stewart flirts with all-time free throw attempt record

During the New York Liberty's home matchup against the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday, Breanna Stewart went to the free-throw line 19 times and made 15 of them. The Liberty star tied for third place in the WNBA all-time FTA, with Cynthia Cooper currently holding the record at 22 during the 1998 season.

Stewart's 19 FTA was also more than the complete Valkyries roster's attempts, which stood at 14 for the game.

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Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their reactions to the number of free throws attempted by the reigning WNBA Finals MVP, with some calling out the referees for a "special whistle."

"Liberty saved by the refs …. AGAIN!" a fan tweeted.

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"Now THAT’S a special whistle. Good lord," a fan tweeted.

"The Liberty whistle is absurd," a fan tweeted.

"I want to be surprised, but I'm not," a fan tweeted.

Meanwhile, other fans defended Stewart's free-throw attempts, highlighting that the fouls on her were right calls.

"Did you watch? She was getting hammered and held lmao they had no answer," a fan tweeted.

"All those fouls were totally legit and evenly called for both teams 🫡" a fan tweeted.

Breanna Stewart concluded the game with 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks as she led the New York Liberty to a 77-82 win against the Golden State Valkyries.

With the win, the reigning WNBA champions are 5-0 for their 2025 campaign, their best start to a season since 2007. They will look to stay undefeated as they hit the road to face the Washington Mystics on Friday.

Breanna Stewart ties WNBA legend for league history

With her performance on Thursday, Breanna Stewart tied with Diana Taurasi for the fastest players in WNBA history to reach 5500 points. Both of them reached the milestone in 266 games.

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Breanna Stewart is currently tied for 22nd in the WNBA's all-time career points list with 5523 points. Meanwhile, Diana Taurasi tops the list with 10646 points, the only player to breach the 10,000 point mark, standing almost 3,000 points above Tina Charles, who stands second with 7781 points.

Currently playing in her ninth season in the league, Stewart is averaging 20.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. The three-time WNBA champion is shooting 55.9% from the field, including 20.0% from deep, as the Liberty looks to become back-to-back champions this year.

About the author

Mathews Kannanthara is a journalist and a basketball enthusiast who specializes in the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda. While his educational background lies in architecture, his passion for basketball has been nurtured through years of playing as captain for school and college teams, winning various tournaments along the way.

As a fan of the Golden State Warriors, Mathews is drawn to the leadership and the 'I can do all things' approach of 'Chef Curry.' He also holds fond memories of Kobe Bryant's legendary 60-point farewell game.

Mathews strives to deliver top-notch content by understanding his readers' preferences and conducting thorough research. Beyond basketball, Mathews puts his energy into music, showcasing his talent as a drummer.

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Edited by Ruth John S