Ellie the Elephant Channels Whitney Houston for New York Liberty Season Opener

Key facts

• Ellie the Elephant performed a Whitney Houston-inspired halftime show for the New York Liberty's 30th season opener.
• The performance included six Houston songs: 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' 'How Will I Know,' 'It's Not Right But It's Okay,' 'I'm Every Woman,' 'I Will Always Love You,' and 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody.'
• Ellie wore four costumes referencing Houston's looks: a red tracksuit (1999 WNBA All-Star Game), black leather gown (1998 Brit Awards), silver gown (Grammys), and silver mini-dress.
• The set list was created by DJ Jay Jung, starting as a mashup of 15 songs and cut to six.
• Ellie debuted a 'Whitney Bob' wig, mint green Essie nail polish, and accessories from Coach and Sunglass Hut.
• Criscia Long, senior director of entertainment at Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, led the production.
• The performance honored Houston's National Anthem at the first WNBA All-Star Game in 1999, hosted by the Liberty.
• Ellie trained with daily running and studied Houston's performances for authenticity.