Reeve was both Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year and led Team USA to Olympic gold in Paris in August.

While others (New York, Las Vegas, Seattle) tried to build super teams, Reeve put together a roster full of players who were both capable and selfless.

She already had Collier, Kayla McBride and Bridget Carleton, among others. But she signed Courtney Williams and Smith, traded for Natisha Hiedeman. Reeve said she could feel it on the second day of training camp.

“We had a habit of playing for each other,” she said. “(But I) didn’t know what that would translate to.”

To this: a 30-win season, a second seed. A first-round playoff sweep, a five-game semifinal win. And an epic comeback on Thursday.

“That’s kind of what Cheryl does,” said Sabrina Ionescu, the Liberty guard who played for Reeve in Paris. ‘It’s clear that Napheesa is the head of the monster. But all the players on that team support their roles. They understand what they have to do to win. And that starts with the coach.”