New York Liberty facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New York Liberty
Conference	Eastern
Leagues	WNBA
Founded	1997
History	New York Liberty 1997–present
Arena	Barclays Center
Location	Brooklyn, New York
Team colors	Seafoam green, black, white
CEO	Keia Clarke
General manager	Jonathan Kolb
Head coach	Sandy Brondello
Assistant(s)	Olaf Lange Roneeka Hodges Zach O'Brien
Ownership	Joseph Tsai & Clara Wu Tsai
Championships	1 (2024)
Conference titles	6 (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2023, 2024)
Commissioner's Cup titles	1 (2023)
Heroine Explorer Rebel (until 2023)

The New York Liberty are a professional basketball team for women. They play in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team is based in Brooklyn, New York. They are part of the league's Eastern Conference.

The Liberty started in 1997. They were one of the first eight teams in the WNBA. Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai own the team. They also own the NBA's Brooklyn Nets. The Liberty play their home games at Barclays Center.

The Liberty have made it to the WNBA playoffs many times. They have been in the playoffs in 19 of their 28 years. Famous players like Teresa Weatherspoon, Rebecca Lobo, Becky Hammon, Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, and Jonquel Jones have played for the team.

In 2024, the New York Liberty won their first WNBA Championship! They beat the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Finals. The Liberty have won six conference championships. They have played in the WNBA Finals six times. They won in 2024. They lost in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2023.

The team's mascot is Ellie the Elephant. She was introduced on May 6, 2021.

History of the Liberty

Early Success (1997–2002)

When the WNBA started in 1997, the Liberty signed college star Rebecca Lobo from UConn. She was a starter for two seasons. However, injuries later led to her retirement.

Point guard Teresa Weatherspoon became a big star. The Liberty reached the 1997 championship game. They lost to the Houston Comets. In 1999, they added Crystal Robinson. They returned to the WNBA Finals. They played the Comets again. In Game 2, Teresa Weatherspoon made a half-court shot at the buzzer. This gave the Liberty a one-point win. But the Comets won the series.

In 2000, the Liberty got Tari Phillips. She became a four-time All-Star. In 2001, Weatherspoon became the WNBA's all-time assist leader. With players like Robinson, Phillips, and Sue Wicks, the Liberty went to the finals again in 2000 and 2002. They lost to the Comets and the Los Angeles Sparks. The Liberty also reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2001.

Transition Years (2003–2009)

Madison Square Garden during a Liberty game

The 2003 season was a time of change. Teresa Weatherspoon's career was ending. Becky Hammon became a star player. In 2004, Hammon took over as the team's starting point guard.

In 2004, the Liberty played some home games at Radio City Music Hall. This was because Madison Square Garden was busy with a political event. It was the first time Radio City hosted a professional sports event since 1999.

In 2005, Tari Phillips left the team. Ann Wauters became a strong center. But she got injured. The team lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Indiana Fever. The 2006 season was tough for the Liberty. They won only 11 games.

In 2007, the team traded Becky Hammon. They got Jessica Davenport and Janel McCarville. The Liberty started strong with a 5–0 record. Then they lost seven games in a row. They still made the playoffs. They faced the defending champion Detroit Shock. The Liberty won Game 1. But they lost Games 2 and 3 in Detroit.

In 2008, the Liberty drafted Essence Carson and Erlana Larkins. They also signed Leilani Mitchell. The team was very young. But they won 19 games. They beat the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the playoffs. They almost beat the Detroit Shock in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Liberty also played the first outdoor professional basketball game. It was called the "Liberty Outdoor Classic". They lost to the Indiana Fever.

In 2009, the Liberty picked Kia Vaughn in the draft. The team struggled and fired head coach Pat Coyle. Anne Donovan took over as interim coach. The team finished with a 13–21 record. This was their second-worst record ever.

The Cappie Pondexter Era (2010–2014)

In 2010, the Liberty improved. They were led by Cappie Pondexter and Leilani Mitchell. Mitchell won the Most Improved Player Award. The team reached the Eastern Conference Finals. They lost to the Atlanta Dream.

In 2011, John Whisenant became the new head coach. Janel McCarville did not play that season. This meant Kia Vaughn became the starting center. The Liberty had to play in the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. This was because Madison Square Garden was being renovated. They played there for three seasons.

Pondexter, Plenette Pierson, and Vaughn helped the team play well. The Liberty made the playoffs. But they lost to the Indiana Fever.

Before the 2014 WNBA draft, the Liberty traded for Tina Charles. She was a WNBA All-Star. In 2015, Pondexter was traded to the Chicago Sky.

The Isiah Thomas Era (2015–2018)

On May 5, 2015, Isiah Thomas became the team president. He managed all parts of the team. With Bill Laimbeer as head coach, the Liberty finished first in the Eastern Conference in 2015.

On August 2, 2015, Becky Hammon was honored. She was put into the Liberty's Ring of Honor. This happened during a game at Madison Square Garden. Hammon is now a head coach for the Las Vegas Aces.

The Liberty made the 2016 WNBA playoffs. They lost to the Phoenix Mercury. In 2017, they lost to the Washington Mystics in the playoffs.

In 2017, the team's owners decided to sell the Liberty. They moved most of the 2018 home games to Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York. The team did not make the playoffs in 2018. They had a 7–27 record.

The Tsai Era (2019–present)

Joseph Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai at the New York Liberty's 2024 Ticker Tape Parade.

On January 23, 2019, Joseph Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai bought the Liberty. Joseph Tsai is a co-founder of Alibaba Group. Isiah Thomas left his role a month later. In 2019, the Liberty played two games at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The rest were in White Plains. Later that year, Joseph Tsai became the full owner of the Nets and Barclays Center. For the 2020 season, the Tsais moved the Liberty to Brooklyn permanently.

The Liberty were very active in the 2020 WNBA draft. They had three first-round picks. They traded Tina Charles before the draft. They chose Sabrina Ionescu as the first pick. They also picked Megan Walker and Jazmine Jones. The team got a new logo. It looked like the Statue of Liberty. They also added black as a main color, like the Brooklyn Nets.

The 2020 season was played in a "bubble" in Florida. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team had seven rookies. Ionescu got a bad ankle injury in the third game. This ended her season. The Liberty finished with a 2–20 record. But Jazmine Jones was named to the All-Rookie teams.

2024 New York Liberty Game at the Barclays Center Arena

The Liberty made big changes in 2021. They moved to Barclays Center full-time. They added WNBA champions Natasha Howard and Sami Whitcomb. They also signed Betnijah Laney. Laney was the 2020 Most Improved Player. They drafted Michaela Onyenwere and DiDi Richards. Laney played in the 2021 WNBA All-Star Game. Onyenwere won Rookie of the Year. New York finished with a 12–20 record. This was enough to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017. They lost a close game to Phoenix.

On December 6, 2021, head coach Walt Hopkins Jr. left the team. Sandy Brondello became the new coach in January 2022. The team added Stefanie Dolson. They drafted Nyara Sabally. But Sabally missed her first season due to injury. The team started 1–7. But Ionescu and Howard played well. The team made the playoffs again. They won Game 1 against the Chicago Sky. But they lost the next two games.

The New York Liberty's "Light it Up" torch is lit after an October 1, 2024 New York Liberty win against the Las Vegas Aces in the Semifinals of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs.

In 2023, the Liberty made big moves to become a top team. They got Jonquel Jones from the Connecticut Sun. They also got Kayla Thornton. Then they signed Breanna Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot. The Liberty won a team-record 32 games. They beat the Las Vegas Aces in the Commissioner's Cup. Jones was named MVP. The Liberty then beat the Washington Mystics and Connecticut Sun in the playoffs. They reached their first WNBA Finals since 2002. But Las Vegas won the series in four games.

NY Liberty 2024 World Championship Ring

In 2024, New York kept most of its main players. They re-signed Jones and Stewart. Rookie Leonie Fiebich also played well. The Liberty won 32 games again. This tied their record. They reached the Commissioner's Cup final again. But they lost to the Minnesota Lynx. The 32 wins gave them the top seed in the playoffs. They swept the Atlanta Dream. Then they beat the Las Vegas Aces. New York won its first WNBA Championship. They beat the Minnesota Lynx in the 2024 WNBA Finals.

Team Records

The New York Liberty have played 934 regular season games. They have won 482 games and lost 452. This means they have won about 53.7% of their games. In the playoffs, they have won 44 games and lost 46. They have won 6 conference championships and 1 WNBA championship.

Current Roster

Former Players

Many great players have played for the New York Liberty. Some of them include:

• Elena Baranova (2003–2005)
• Essence Carson (2008–2015)
• Tina Charles (2014–2019)
• Becky Hammon (1999–2006)
• Rebecca Lobo (1997–2001)
• Janel McCarville (2007–2010)
• Leilani Mitchell (2008–2013)
• Tari Phillips (2000–2004)
• Cappie Pondexter (2010–2014)
• Crystal Robinson (1999–2005)
• Teresa Weatherspoon (1997–2003)
• Sue Wicks (1997–2002)

Honored Numbers

The New York Liberty have honored one player's number. This means no other player on the team will wear that number.

Coaches and Staff

Owners

• Cablevision (1997–2009)
• Madison Square Garden, Inc. (2010–2019)
• Clara Wu Tsai & Joe Tsai (2019–present)

General Managers

• Carol Blazejowski (1996–2010)
• John Whisenant (2011–2012)
• Bill Laimbeer (2013–2014, 2017)
• Kristin Bernert (2015–2016)
• Jonathan Kolb (2019–present)

Head Coaches

The Liberty have had several head coaches over the years. Here are some of them:

Media Coverage

You can watch Liberty games on TV and online. In 2024, games started being shown on WNYW and WWOR.

The Liberty also launched their own streaming service called "Liberty Live". This lets fans watch games directly.

Before, games were shown on MSG Network and the YES Network. The broadcasters for Liberty games are Chris Shearn and Julianne Viani.

Some Liberty games are also shown on national TV channels. These include CBS, CBS Sports Network, Ion Television, ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC.

Images for kids

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  Madison Square Garden was home to the Liberty from 1997 until 2018, except for the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons due to summer renovations.

See also

In Spanish: New York Liberty para niños