Nancy Lieberman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nancy Lieberman

Lieberman in 2018
Personal information
Born	(1958-07-01) July 1, 1958 (age 66) Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
High school	Far Rockaway (New York City, New York)
Listed height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Listed weight	175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
College	Old Dominion (1976–1980)
NBA Draft	1997 / Round: 2 (Elite) / Pick: 15th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Mercury
Pro career	1980–1987, 1997, 2008
Coaching career	1998–2000, 2009–2011, 2015–present
Career history
As player:
1980–1981, 1984	Dallas Diamonds
1986	Springfield Fame
1987	Long Island Knights
1997	Phoenix Mercury
2008	Detroit Shock
As coach:
1998–2000	Detroit Shock
2009–2011	Texas Legends
2015–2018	Sacramento Kings (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
As player: WABA champion (1984) WABA Most Valuable Player (1984) WBL Rookie of the Year (1981) 3x Kodak All-American (1978–1980) 2× Honda Sports Award for basketball (1979, 1980) Honda-Broderick Cup for all sports (1979) 2x Wade Trophy (1979, 1980)
Medals Women's Basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Silver 1976 Montreal Team competition World Championship Gold 1979 Seoul National team Pan American Games Gold 1975 Mexico Team competition Silver 1979 Puerto Rico Team competition Jones Cup Gold 1979 Taipei Team competition

Nancy Lieberman (born July 1, 1958) is a famous American former professional basketball player and coach. She was nicknamed "Lady Magic" because of her amazing skills. Nancy is known as one of the greatest women's basketball players ever. She has been a coach in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Today, she works as a broadcaster for the Oklahoma City Thunder. She also coaches a team called Power in the BIG3 league, which she led to a championship in 2018.

Nancy Lieberman is a member of several Halls of Fame, including the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Basketball Start

Nancy Lieberman was born in Brooklyn, New York. Her family later moved to Far Rockaway, Queens, where she grew up. She was interested in many sports as a child, like baseball and football. She often played with boys. Basketball became her favorite sport. She mostly played on pickup teams with boys. She didn't join a girls' team until high school.

Nancy's mother was not always happy about her playing basketball. Once, when Nancy was practicing dribbling indoors, her mother got upset about the noise. She even punctured Nancy's basketballs with a screwdriver! But Nancy kept finding new balls and went outside to play.

Nancy's Amazing Playing Career

High School Basketball Achievements

While at Far Rockaway High School in Queens, Nancy became one of the best young women's basketball players in the country. In 1975, when she was still a teenager, she joined the USA National Team. This team played in the World Championships and Pan American Games. They won a gold medal!

During the school year, she played for her high school team. In the summer, she played with an Amateur Athletic Union team in Harlem called the New York Chuckles. Nancy looked up to famous basketball players like Walt Frazier. She even wore his number, 10, because of him.

College Basketball Success

Nancy Lieberman went to Old Dominion University from 1976 to 1980. There, she became a college basketball star. She and her team won two national championships in a row (1979, 1980). She also won the Wade Trophy twice, which is a big award for the best college player. She was also named an All-American three times.

Her nickname "Lady Magic" came from her amazing play, like NBA star Earvin "Magic" Johnson. Nancy set a school record for assists that still stands today. She had 961 assists in her college career. She also scored 2,430 points and grabbed 1,167 rebounds. She even achieved a "triple-double" in one game, scoring 40 points, getting 15 rebounds, and making 11 assists!

Professional Basketball Journey

Nancy Lieberman presenting a trophy to Moriah Jefferson

In 1980, Nancy was the first player picked in the Women's Pro Basketball League (WBL) draft by the Dallas Diamonds. She helped her team reach the finals and was named "Rookie of the Year." In 1984, she returned to the Dallas Diamonds in a new league, the WABA. She was named the league's Most Valuable Player and helped Dallas win the championship.

In 1986, Nancy did something unique. She signed with a men's professional team, the Springfield Fame, in the United States Basketball League (USBL). She later played for the Long Island Knights. She also toured with the Washington Generals, who played against the famous Harlem Globetrotters.

In 1997, at 39 years old, Nancy played in the very first season of the WNBA for the Phoenix Mercury. She was the oldest player in the league. In 2008, at 50 years old, she signed a short contract with the Detroit Shock. This made her the oldest player ever in WNBA history! She played one more game, recording two assists.

Playing for Team USA

Nancy Lieberman was a part of the USA Basketball team when she was just 17. In 1975, her team won a gold medal at the Pan American Games.

In 1976, shortly after turning 18, Nancy became the youngest basketball player to win an Olympic medal. The United States team won the silver medal at the Montreal Olympics. She also won a gold medal at the 1979 William Jones Cup and a silver medal at the 1979 Pan American Games.

In 1980, Nancy was chosen for the Olympic team again. However, she decided not to play to support President Jimmy Carter's boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.

Nancy's Coaching Career

Coaching in the WNBA

In 1998, Nancy Lieberman became the general manager and head coach of the Detroit Shock in the WNBA. She coached for three seasons. After leaving the Shock, she worked as a basketball analyst for ESPN.

Coaching Men's Teams

In 2009, Nancy made history again. She became the coach of the Texas Legends in the NBA Development League (now NBA G League). This made her the first woman to coach a professional men's basketball team! She later moved to a front office role with the Legends.

In 2015, she joined the Sacramento Kings as an assistant coach. This made her the second female assistant coach in NBA history.

Coaching in the BIG3 League

In 2018, Nancy was hired as the head coach of the Power team in the BIG3 league. In her very first season, she led her team to win the 2018 Championship! This made her the first female coach to win a championship in the BIG3.

Career Statistics

College Statistics

WNBA Regular Season Statistics

WNBA Playoffs Statistics

Awards and Special Honors

• 1979 – Won the Honda Sports Award for basketball.
• 1979 – Won the Honda-Broderick Cup for being the best female athlete across all sports.
• 1980 – Won the Honda Sports Award for basketball again.
• 1999 – Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
• 2000 – The Nancy Lieberman Award was created, given to the best point guard in women's college basketball.
• 2008 – Inducted into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame.
• 2022 – A statue of Nancy Lieberman was put up at Old Dominion University. This was the first statue of a former athlete at the university!

Nancy's Personal Life

T. J. Cline, Nancy Lieberman's son.

Nancy Lieberman was married to Tim Cline, a former teammate. They later divorced. Their son, T. J. Cline, also plays professional basketball. He played college basketball for the Richmond Spiders and now plays in Israel.

Nancy has spoken about her Jewish background and her family's history. She has also shared that she became a Christian later in life. In 2011, she visited Israel with her mother, saying it helped her feel more connected to her culture.

See also

In Spanish: Nancy Lieberman para niños

• List of female NBA coaches
• Nancy Lieberman Award
• List of select Jewish basketball players