Ellie the Elephant, the beloved mascot of the New York Liberty basketball team, was filmed Thursday handing her purse to New York City Mayor Eric Adams before gesturing to his beloved fans.
The moment was captured during a celebration honoring the team for win the WNBA championshipduring which Adams handed the basketball players the keys to the city.
“Look at the players on that team. They personified the energy and the spirit of this city at a time when so many people were trying to figure out, ‘How can I express myself so I don’t get judged,'” Adams said . said during his speech THURSDAY. “They say, ‘To hell with you, you’re judging me. We’re going to be who we are and we’re going to play to win.’ And they knew how to play to win.”
Who is Ellie the Elephant
Basketball fans and beyond have fallen in love with Ellie the Elephant’s captivating energy during games and on social media. The mascot is known for shamelessly asking men to hold her purse as she performs at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Her unapologetic attitude is why people are drawn to her: “As much as people come and buy tickets for our athletes, some people want to go out and see Ellie. Ellie pushes the boundaries of what a mascot is traditionally, “Liberty,” brand director Shana Stephenson told USA TODAY earlier this summer.
Following Liberty’s historic championship victory on Sunday, the team’s first in 28 years, Ellie was seen showing up with the team on the field.
Taylor Ardrey is a reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected].
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Watch WNBA Mascot Ellie Give Eric Adams Her Purse for a Dance Break
