look book

The Look Book Goes to a WNBA Game

On a recent Sunday at Barclays Center, we spoke to fans moments after the Chicago Sky beat the New York Liberty.

Photo: Timothy O’Connell
Photo: Timothy O’Connell

Annastasia Tobin (pictured above)
First-grader, Newark, New Jersey

I assume you’re a big Liberty fan.
We’ve watched Liberty games on TV since I was 4 years old. Mommy K, my mom’s girlfriend, got us the tickets.

What was the best part of the night?
When we got to take pictures with the players. We met Kahleah Copper, and I took a picture with her. And the shouts. My favorite word to shout is “Defense!

What else do you like to do?
I love to dance, even in my room at night. “Purple Rain” is my favorite song. I want Prince to come to my birthday party, but Mommy tells me he’s dead.

Senicia Negron

College student, Canarsie

Afia Blackwood-Foster

Youth organizer, East New York

Caleb Shively

Digital-strategy manager, Bedford-Stuyvesant


What brought you here?

Oh, I’m a big Liberty fan. The WNBA is a crazy-competitive league. I’ve been watching it for most of my life, since it formed in ’97. The level of actual basketball is so high. I always preach to my friends that the WNBA is just as good as the NBA. Real basketball heads know that.

Jessica Penzari

Beauty-brand co-founder, Riverdale

Chenyu Gao

College student, Baltimore

Evie Higgins

High-school student, River Vale, New Jersey

Giovanna Nelkin

Caseworker, Plattsburgh

Tianna Jeter-Crichlow

Teacher, East New York


Did Brittney Griner’s case come up tonight?

When it was time to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” both teams walked off the court. My daughter asked why, and we told her it was because we have had a Black WNBA player stuck overseas and no one’s doing anything about it.

Tonique Moore

Former personal assistant, Newark, New Jersey

Velmont Miller II

Liquor-store manager, Park Slope


Eat anything good at the game?

I’m a Nets season-ticket holder, and I’ve noticed that there aren’t as many food stands open at Barclays on WNBA nights as there are on NBA ones. I was trying to find something that’s not fried because I’ve got a little cholesterol thing going on, but my options were limited. I ended up getting a hamburger.

Zachariah Moore-Tobin

Kindergartner, Newark, New Jersey

Nora Benson

UX designer, East Williamsburg

Darren Carter

Designer, East Village

Tarai Handy

Fourth-grader, East New York


Who’s your favorite player?

DiDi Richards. I put my hair out in two ponytails to match with her. And on Chicago Sky, Candace Parker. When there were only 19 seconds left, they put her in, and she thought of a real quick plan and they won.

Maura Benson

Nurse, Ukrainian Village, Chicago

Cordelia K. Banks

Physical-therapy aide, Bloomfield, New Jersey

Syola Ince Lewis

Cashier, East New York

Deja Jones

Nonprofit fellow, Harlem

Photographs by Timothy O’Connell

Senicia Negron

College student, Canarsie

Afia Blackwood-Foster

Youth organizer, East New York

Caleb Shively

Digital-strategy manager, Bedford-Stuyvesant


What brought you here?

Oh, I’m a big Liberty fan. The WNBA is a crazy-competitive league. I’ve been watching it for most of my life, since it formed in ’97. The level of actual basketball is so high. I always preach to my friends that the WNBA is just as good as the NBA. Real basketball heads know that.

Jessica Penzari

Beauty-brand co-founder, Riverdale

Chenyu Gao

College student, Baltimore

Evie Higgins

High-school student, River Vale, New Jersey

Giovanna Nelkin

Caseworker, Plattsburgh

Tianna Jeter-Crichlow

Teacher, East New York


Did Brittney Griner’s case come up tonight?

When it was time to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” both teams walked off the court. My daughter asked why, and we told her it was because we have had a Black WNBA player stuck overseas and no one’s doing anything about it.

Tonique Moore

Former personal assistant, Newark, New Jersey

Velmont Miller II

Liquor-store manager, Park Slope


Eat anything good at the game?

I’m a Nets season-ticket holder, and I’ve noticed that there aren’t as many food stands open at Barclays on WNBA nights as there are on NBA ones. I was trying to find something that’s not fried because I’ve got a little cholesterol thing going on, but my options were limited. I ended up getting a hamburger.

Zachariah Moore-Tobin

Kindergartner, Newark, New Jersey

Nora Benson

UX designer, East Williamsburg

Darren Carter

Designer, East Village

Tarai Handy

Fourth-grader, East New York


Who’s your favorite player?

DiDi Richards. I put my hair out in two ponytails to match with her. And on Chicago Sky, Candace Parker. When there were only 19 seconds left, they put her in, and she thought of a real quick plan and they won.

Maura Benson

Nurse, Ukrainian Village, Chicago

Cordelia K. Banks

Physical-therapy aide, Bloomfield, New Jersey

Syola Ince Lewis

Cashier, East New York

Deja Jones

Nonprofit fellow, Harlem

Photographs by Timothy O’Connell

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The Look Book Goes to a WNBA Game