Clara Wu Tsai

She’s Creating a Unstoppable Women’s Basketball Franchise in New York

When the previous owner of the New York Liberty put the Brooklyn-based WNBA team up for sale, businesswoman and philanthropist Clara Wu Tsai and her husband Joe jumped at the chance to buy a team “no one wanted.” They quickly positioned the team for success, moving it back to New York City to play at the Barclays Center and assembling a team of stars through thoughtful draft picks, trades, and free agency. In 2023, Wu Tsai convinced league MVP Breanna Stewart to sign with the Liberty, setting up a 2024 season for the history books: The team won the WNBA championship — its first — at home, in game five, in overtime. Wu Tsai, who is also a co-owner of the Brooklyn Nets, wants to ensure women receive the same attention as men, on the court and off. To that end, she spearheaded just-announced plans to construct a lavish new $80 million, 75,000-square-foot practice facility for the Liberty. She also launched the Human Performance Alliance, a six-university scientific research collaboration to study peak performance in elite athletes, particularly women athletes, who are often studied less than men.

By Audrey Goodson Kingo