New York Liberty

New York Liberty

Team Information

Founded 1997
Owner(s) Joseph Tsai & Clara Wu Tsai
Head Coach Sandra Anne Brondello
Mascots Ellie the Elephant
Stadium Barclays Center

New York Liberty News

“I slammed them weights down”: NY Liberty’s Jonquel Jones almost missed out on meeting Alicia Keys; shares hilarious story on Flau’jae Johnson’s pod “I slammed them weights down”: NY Liberty’s Jonquel Jones almost missed out on meeting Alicia Keys; shares hilarious story on Flau’jae Johnson’s pod
“I slammed them weights down”: NY Liberty’s Jonquel Jones almost missed out on meeting Alicia Keys; shares hilarious story on Flau’jae Johnson’s pod
12h
Breanna Stewart has two-word reaction to 5-star Grace Knox choosing Kim Mulkey’s LSU over Texas, USC, and more Breanna Stewart has two-word reaction to 5-star Grace Knox choosing Kim Mulkey’s LSU over Texas, USC, and more
Breanna Stewart has two-word reaction to 5-star Grace Knox choosing Kim Mulkey’s LSU over Texas, USC, and more
"The officiating was terrible": Napheesa Collier doubles down on Lynx's WNBA Finals 'robbery' claim "The officiating was terrible": Napheesa Collier doubles down on Lynx's WNBA Finals 'robbery' claim
"The officiating was terrible": Napheesa Collier doubles down on Lynx's WNBA Finals 'robbery' claim
Jonquel Jones tries to bring clarity to Caitlin Clark fanbase discourse: "They want her to be representation of their racism" Jonquel Jones tries to bring clarity to Caitlin Clark fanbase discourse: "They want her to be representation of their racism"
Jonquel Jones tries to bring clarity to Caitlin Clark fanbase discourse: "They want her to be representation of their racism"
WNBA insider reveals Sabrina Ionescu won Finals despite reported injury struggle WNBA insider reveals Sabrina Ionescu won Finals despite reported injury struggle
WNBA insider reveals Sabrina Ionescu won Finals despite reported injury struggle

New York Liberty Bio

New York Liberty
New York Liberty (Image credit / Getty image )

The New York Liberty is a women’s basketball team based in Brooklyn, New York City, competing in the Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). As one of the league’s eight founding teams, the Liberty have yet to win a championship but have produced several legends, including Teresa Weatherspoon and Rebecca Lobo. Currently, they are strong contenders for the 2024 championship, featuring stars such as Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.

New York Liberty History

The New York Liberty, established in 1997, is one of the eight founding teams of the WNBA. When the league commenced in 1997, the Liberty signed college standout Rebecca Lobo from UConn, helping the team reach the championship game that year, where they were defeated by the Houston Comets. In 1999, they selected Crystal Robinson with the sixth overall pick and made another appearance in the WNBA Finals, but were once again defeated by the Comets. The Liberty made further finals appearances in 2000 and 2002, falling to the Comets and the Los Angeles Sparks, respectively.

Between 2003 and 2009, the team went through a rebuilding phase that did not meet expectations. However, in 2010, the Liberty reached the Eastern Conference Finals, losing to the Atlanta Dream. Isiah Thomas was hired as team president, overseeing both business and basketball operations, and under his leadership and head coach Bill Laimbeer, the Liberty topped the Eastern Conference in the 2015 season. The team made the playoffs for three consecutive years but failed to qualify in 2018.

In the 2020 WNBA draft, the Liberty's first pick was Sabrina Ionescu, with Megan Walker and Jazmine Jones selected later in the round, marking a turning point for the team. By 2023, the Liberty made significant moves to become immediate contenders. They acquired 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones from the Connecticut Sun in a three-team trade, which also brought in Kayla Thornton from the Dallas Wings. Additionally, the Liberty signed star players Breanna Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot in free agency. That season, the Liberty set a franchise record with 32 wins and triumphed over the Las Vegas Aces in the Commissioner's Cup in-season competition.

New York Liberty Owner

The New York Liberty is owned by Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai. Joe Tsai, a Taiwanese-Canadian billionaire, is a notable business leader who co-founded and serves as the chairman of Alibaba Group, a major Chinese multinational technology company. He also owns the Brooklyn Nets, an NBA team.

New York Liberty Jersey and Logo

New York Liberty
New York Liberty (Image credit / WNBA official store)
New York Liberty
New York Liberty (Image credit / WNBA official store)

The New York Liberty recently unveiled a fresh logo design, showcasing a streamlined interpretation of their iconic Statue of Liberty imagery. This updated logo incorporates black as one of its primary colours, aligning with the visual style of its NBA counterpart, the Brooklyn Nets.

New York Liberty Home Stadium

Barclays Center serves as the home stadium for the New York Liberty. This arena is also the venue for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association. Besides basketball, Barclays Center hosts concerts, conventions, and a variety of other sporting and entertainment events.

Located within Pacific Park, a $4.9 billion business and residential complex, Barclays Center was designed by SHoP Architects, with Ellerbe Becket/AECOM acting as the project architect of record. The arena has a seating capacity of 17,732 for basketball games. In 2020, the Tsais moved the Liberty to Brooklyn permanently, having previously played at Madison Square Garden in New York.

New York Liberty Tickets and Broadcasting Details

On March 12, 2024, it was revealed that WNYW and WWOR would start airing New York Liberty games beginning with the 2024 season. Furthermore, on June 4, 2024, Liberty introduced "Liberty Live," a direct-to-consumer streaming service that will be the exclusive streaming platform for their games. In the past, Liberty games were broadcast on MSG Network and the YES Network. The commentary team for Liberty games includes Chris Shearn and Julianne Viani.

Additionally, several Liberty games are broadcast nationally on CBS, CBS Sports Network, Ion Television, ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC.

New York Liberty Coaching Staff

Sandra Anne Brondello is the current head coach of the New York Liberty in the WNBA. The coaching staff includes Assistant Coaches Olaf Lange, Roneeka Hodges, and Zach O’Brien. Brian Lankton serves as the Player Development & Video Coordinator, while Epiphanny Prince is the Director of Player Relations & Community Engagement. Micaela Reese holds the position of Manager of Basketball Operations, and Ashley Garrison is the Equipment Manager. Ben Dull is the Player Personnel Coordinator, and Parker Lovett is the Basketball Operations Coordinator.

New York Liberty Famous Players

Breanna Stewart

Breanna Mackenzie Stewart, also known as "Stewie," is a professional basketball player for the New York Liberty in the WNBA. Born on August 27, 1994, in Baldwin, she stands 6 feet 4 inches tall and is well-regarded for her offensive skills. Stewart was the top pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft and won the WNBA Rookie of the Year award that same year.

She was named WNBA MVP in both 2018 and 2023 and has been selected as an All-Star in 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Stewart led the Seattle Storm to championships in 2018 and 2020, earning the WNBA Finals MVP honours for both victories. In 2021, she was included in The W25, recognizing her as one of the top 25 players in the WNBA's first 25 years. Now with the New York Liberty, she plays a crucial role in the team's championship aspirations.

Sabrina Ionescu

Sabrina Elaine Ionescu shines as an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty in the WNBA. Born on December 6, 1997, standing tall at 5 feet 11 inches, she is celebrated for her remarkable ability to achieve triple-doubles. During her college tenure, she etched her name in NCAA history as the all-time leader in career triple-doubles.

Selected as the top overall pick by the New York Liberty in the 2020 WNBA Draft, Ionescu's rookie season saw a significant milestone: she recorded her inaugural professional triple-double with an impressive stat line of 26 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. This achievement not only marked her as the youngest player in WNBA history to accomplish a triple-double but also cemented her place in Liberty history as the franchise's first player to achieve this feat, and only the tenth in the league's history overall.

As of the 2023-24 season, Ionescu continues to play a pivotal role in the Liberty's pursuit of a championship. Teaming up with stars like Breanna Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot, she maintains an impressive average of 18.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game, embodying the team's hopes and aspirations on the court.

New York Liberty WNBA Records and Stats

As of June 2024, the Liberty have secured three conference championships and made five appearances in the WNBA Finals. They have also qualified for the playoffs in 18 out of their 28 seasons in the league.

YearTeamW/L%FinishCoachesPlayoffs ResultTop WS
2024New York Liberty.8132ndSandy Brondello (13-3)Season continues*B. Stewart (3.3)
2023New York Liberty.8001stSandy Brondello (32-8)Lost FinalsB. Stewart (10.3)
2022New York Liberty.4444thSandy Brondello (16-20)Lost 1st RoundS. Ionescu (4.3)
2021New York Liberty.3753rdWalt Hopkins (12-20)Lost 1st RoundS. Whitcomb (2.1)
2020New York Liberty.0916thWalt Hopkins (2-20)Not QualifiedL. Odom (0.9)
2019New York Liberty.2945thKatie Smith (10-24)Not QualifiedK. Nurse (1.9)
2018New York Liberty.2065thKatie Smith (7-27)Not QualifiedT. Charles (1.7)
2017New York Liberty.6471stBill Laimbeer (22-12)Lost 2nd RoundT. Charles (4.7)
2016New York Liberty.6181stBill Laimbeer (21-13)Lost 2nd RoundT. Charles (4.7)
2015New York Liberty.6761stBill Laimbeer (23-11)Lost E. Conf. FinalsE. Prince (4.3)
2014New York Liberty.4414thBill Laimbeer (15-19)Not QualifiedT. Charles (4.4)
2013New York Liberty.3245thBill Laimbeer (11-23)Not QualifiedL. Mitchell (1.7)
2012New York Liberty.4414thJohn Whisenant (15-19)Lost E. Conf. SemisC. Pondexter (4.6)
2011New York Liberty.5594thJohn Whisenant (19-15)Lost E. Conf. SemisC. Pondexter (4.2)
2010New York Liberty.6471stAnne Donovan (22-12)Lost E. Conf. FinalsC. Pondexter (7.3)
2009New York Liberty.3827thPat Coyle (6-11), Anne Donovan (7-10)Not QualifiedS. Christon (4.8)
2008New York Liberty.5593rdPat Coyle (19-15)Lost E. Conf. FinalsJ. McCarville (4.4)
2007New York Liberty.4714thPat Coyle (16-18)Lost E. Conf. SemisL. Moore (2.8)
2006New York Liberty.3245thPat Coyle (11-23)Not QualifiedB. Hammon (1.7)
2005New York Liberty.5293rdPat Coyle (18-16)Lost E. Conf. SemisB. Hammon (4.9)
2004New York Liberty.5291stRichie Adubato (7-9), Pat Coyle (11-7)Lost E. Conf. FinalsE. Baranova (4.2)
2003New York Liberty.4715thRichie Adubato (16-18) V. Johnson (3.6)
2002New York Liberty.5631stRichie Adubato (18-14)Lost FinalsC. Robinson (4.4)
2001New York Liberty.6562ndRichie Adubato (21-11)Lost E. Conf. FinalsC. Robinson (4.9)
2000New York Liberty.6251stRichie Adubato (20-12)Lost FinalsV. Johnson (4.0)
1999New York Liberty.5631stRichie Adubato (18-14)Lost FinalsC. Robinson (4.8)
1998New York Liberty.6002ndNancy Darsch (18-12) V. Johnson (4.3)
1997New York Liberty.6072ndNancy Darsch (17-11)Lost FinalsK. Hampt

New York Liberty Ring of Honor

Jersey NoPlayer name Tenure
25Becky Hammon1999-2006
34Kym Hampton1997-1999
55Vickie Johnson1997-2005
50Rebecca Lobo1997-2001
03Crystal Robinson 1999-2005
11Teresa Weatherspoon 1997-2003
23Sue Wicks 1997-2002

FAQ's On New York Liberty

A. The New York Liberty was founded in 1997 and has played in 28 seasons of the WNBA. 

A. As of now June 2024 The New York Liberty have not won any  WNBA championship.

A. Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai, are the owner of the New York Liberty.

A. Ellie the Elephant is the mascot of the New York Liberty. 

A. In the 2024 WNBA Draft, the New York Liberty Select Marquesha Davis, Esmery Martinez, Jessika Carter & Kaitlyn Davis.

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