We are back for another week of WNBA season previews. Aside from the draft, the rosters are set. So once a week until the season is back, I will be looking at one team. I will discuss their changes and what to expect from them this season.
To build up, I will be going in reverse order from the standings a season ago. That brings us to the most talked about team from the offseason. Going into last season the New York Liberty were one of the up-and-coming franchises. They made overtures in free agency to some of the top names before landing on a solid team. With some future maybes and a solid core, 2022 was all about improvement. 2023, however, brings title favorite vibes.
2022 Recap
For a franchise that is not far removed from the absolute bottom of the league, this season was a ton of fun in New York. Despite former All-Star Betnijah Laney being limited to just nine games, New York found success. Under new coach Sandy Brondello the team made it back to the postseason. They even took a game off the defending champion Chicago Sky.
Even better, the progress was across the roster. Yes, Laney and Sabrina Ionescu had a magnetic connection.
Ionescu, for her part, was exceptional beyond any certain pairing. Her stats jump off the page: 17.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game on 41/33/93 shooting splits. She was the only player in the top 15 of all three major categories and the only one in the top three of two. Sabrina is absolutely the “face of the franchise” level talent that was advertised coming out of college.
The excitement went beyond Ionsecu, though. Han Xu and Marine Johannes returned to the league for their second seasons, both last playing in 2019. Xu was a physical force off the bench. Johannes provided passing wizardry that lit Twitter on fire. Natasha Howard made her second All-Star appearance and showed what this roster could do with killed size. Stef Dolson provided a varied skillset for a big off the bench and is the dream complementary piece.
Clearly, the table was set for the next step. Despite a step back for Rookie of the Year Michaela Onyenwere, the vision in New York was clear. They just needed to add the right pieces to take the next step. About that…
Offseason Overview
Out: Rebecca Allen, Crystal Dangerfield, Natasha Howard, Sami Whitcomb, Michaela Onyenwere
In: Kayla Thornton, Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, Epiphany Prince, Courtney Vandersloot, Sika Kone, Nyara Sabally
2023 Draft: #30
Usually, I have written an additional section before the offseason moves, but there is too much here to go into. This is a totally different team. So before getting into the three new faces of the franchise, let’s look at the periphery first.
Natasha Howard is the biggest loss from last season, albeit understandable. To bring in three max contract-level players, something had to give. Howard was an All-Star last season and should be a boon for her new team in Texas. Bec Allen and Sami Whitcomb came into the season as sharpshooters and left dropping around seven percentage points on their previous season’s averages.
Crystal Dangerfield was a fun reclamation project a season ago, but she was no longer the player who won Rookie of the Year in the bubble. Michaela Onyenwere, who won Rookie of the Year in here own right, took a slight step back and was more of a casualty of cap space in all the movement than anything else.
Beyond the standout additions, Kayla Thornton should standout more. She already showed that she can be an elite defensive stalwart when surrounded by less-than-stellar talent on that end. Now, with All-Defensive-level teammates, she is going to be a terror. Also, keep an eye on Sika Kone and Nyara Sabally coming in on rookie contracts. Along with DiDi Richards and the aforementioned Ionescu, Xu, and Johannes, there is plenty of inspiring young talent on a star-laden team.
Stew York
It makes sense to start with the signing that was forecasted a year in advance. Breanna Stewart took a meeting with the Liberty after the 2021 season. The team even brought in one of her best friends Stef Dolson. Ultimately, Stewie decided to return to Seattle for Sue Bird’s final season.
Now she is here and the New York Liberty are the evolution of the most dangerous skillset alignment in the league. Skilled size was the wave for years in the draft. Pairing Stewart, Dolson, and Jonquel Jones give the team arguably the most in the league.
Stewart has shown previously the proclivity to get other bigs involved, and that was with more (respectfully) limited offensive players like Ezi Magbegor. Pairing her with a pick-and-pop big like Dolson or an MVP like Jones is going to cause matchup nightmares for anyone they face. Stewart is a smart passer, strong defender, and, obviously, a lethal scorer.
Pairing Stewart with Ionescu unites two of the most cold-blooded scorers in the league. She, like new teammate Courtney Vandersloot, has won at the highest levels in the league. Stewart will finally be facing single defenders after being one of two lethal offensive players on her team for years. She is going to be unleashed in unprecedented fashion.
Sun Down
The fact that Jonquel Jones moving to New York is the second biggest story for the franchise in an offseason is no slight on the former Sun. Jones may have had a down year last year but that is only graded on her own high scale. The All-Star averaged 14.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game.
Something with the Sun felt off for much of the season, despite them making the run to the Finals. After emerging as an MVP in the absence of Alyssa Thomas, Jones, and Thomas were never able to fully mesh again. Add in the emergence of Bri Jones and something had to give. JJ forced the issue.
Now, she is playing in a more free-flowing offense. With two of the most exceptional passers in the starting lineup and a fellow MVP in the frontcourt, Jones is going to be able to breathe again. Last season likely taught her how important it would be to fit in alongside other stars. Even if her numbers dip, she is likely to be better than ever.
Sloot There It Is
Perhaps the most surprising turn of events, Courtney Vandersloot also left her longtime home to put together something special in New York. For many, it was hard to imagine her playing anywhere other than Chicago. With wife Allie Quigley stepping away, though, it became easier for Sloot to move on from the only team she has suited up for in her 12-year career.
Vandersloot has played the last few seasons setting up a collection of All-Stars. She has led the league in assists six times, ending a five-year streak last year. While others are trying to fit in, this is the role Sloot was made for. Both she and Chelsea Gray in Las Vegas have been bandied about as point gods (or gawds, in terms of Gray) and they both have the most talent around them yet.
If you are a passing aficionado, watch Courtney Vandersloot. For the diehards, imagining her mentoring Marine Johannes is tantalizing. Oh, to be a fly on the wall during practice where they attempt to outdo each other with ridiculous dimes.
Prediction
The hype is real. Finishing the regular season with a top-two seed is the goal given the amalgamation of talent in the Big Apple. They will send at least three representatives to the All-Star Game. I would guess they will have a season like we saw last season from Las Vegas, taking home several awards and the Commissioner’s Cup. While they are not my pick to win it all, they will be in the WNBA Finals.
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