Are the Liberty on the convey observe to getting to be a playoff fixture? Or are they heading to get caught in the station at Atlantic Avenue on the way to turning into a true contender in the ultracompetitive WNBA?
Very last yr, the Liberty snuck into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed on the final day of the time inspite of ending with a 12-20 history and profitable just two of their remaining 13 online games. Then they approximately eradicated the Finals-certain Mercury in a initially-round, solitary-elimination nail-biter.
It was a year of expansion and cultivating chemistry on the roster, and the Liberty program to make off that foundation in 2022. The franchise signaled its aspirations this wintertime by employing a new head coach and signing a totally free-agent center with championship pedigrees.
But it will be a tough activity to make it again to the postseason — the Washington Mystics and Los Angeles Sparks, both equally of whom missed the playoffs final period, designed notable updates in the offseason, and the common elite teams keep on being formidable.
The Liberty will playing a total 36-game schedule for the very first time since 2019, beginning with Saturday night’s year opener at Barclays Middle in opposition to the powerhouse Connecticut Sun.
Below is a swift information to what is ahead for the Liberty:
Satisfy the new manager
The Liberty parted means with head coach Walt Hopkins after two seasons in December, and hired Sandy Brondello, who had been the head coach of the Mercury since 2014 and led Phoenix to a title in her 1st year there.
Brondello, a indigenous of Australia who performed in the WNBA from 1998-2003, also doubles as head coach of the Australian National Group. Her husband, Olaf Lange, is on the Liberty’s coaching workers as an assistant.
Star electricity
This time marks 12 months 2 together for the Liberty’s Huge 3 of Sabrina Ionescu, Betnijah Laney and Natasha Howard.
Ionescu, whom the Liberty picked 1st general in the 2020 WNBA Draft, is coming off an up-and-down sophomore season (11.7 factors, 6.1 helps and 5.7 rebounds per activity) in which she dealt with lingering consequences of an ankle injuries endured as a rookie in the 2020 “wubble” period. Now she’s again to comprehensive toughness.
Betnijah Laney is in her prime. The 28-year-outdated guard is coming off a breakthrough All-Star period, acquiring averaged 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists and carried the Liberty at situations all through a surprising initial half. Laney underwent left knee surgical procedure final November.
Natasha Howard had a comprehensive education camp, subsequent a knee injury that interrupted her acclimation to the Liberty last period. The a few-time WNBA champion put up 16.2 details and 7.2 rebounds in her restricted marketing campaign of 13 game titles.
New York’s new faces
The Liberty signed totally free-agent middle Stefanie Dolson in February, coming off a highly embellished 2021 in which she received an Olympics gold medal with the United States 3×3 workforce and gained a WNBA title with the Chicago Sky. The previous two-time All-Star, 30, provides size and dimensions to the Liberty at 6-foot-5, and should really be a solid enhance to Howard in the frontcourt.
1st-spherical draft select Nyara Sabally will sit out the season right after acquiring knee surgery, but 2nd-spherical decide on Lorela Cubaj, a embellished forward out of Georgia Tech, created the crew.
Comeback young children
Advert returns to the Liberty immediately after lacking two seasons owing to very long-haul COVID. The Liberty’s No. 2 pick in 2019 is set for a reserve role in an uncertain reacclimation to superior-level hoops.
Han Xu — the WNBA’s tallest participant at 6-10 — is again with the crew for the to start with time since her rookie year in 2019 immediately after the Chinese center did not occur around to the States the past two many years.
Jocelyn Willoughby, who was emerging as a precious two-way ahead as a rookie in 2020, is back again just after having skipped all of 2021 because of to a torn Achilles.
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