Jaylyn Sherrod: The Liberty Legend Continues?
This New York Liberty season could center on a certain point guard, one of the final hardwood stars of the fading Pac-12.
Also, Sabrina Ionescu is on the team.
The Liberty's brief yet eventful preseason slate has given rise to the legend of Jaylyn Sherrod, an undrafted 5-7 rookie out of Colorado who has captured the hearts and imaginations of Brooklynites search for any sort of championship edge as their team seeks one last step. Anyone seeking an extra edge in the WNBA could perhaps look into the story of Sherrod, who is well used to earning her minutes.
"Energy is what I play with," Sherrod said, previously citing her speed and "defensive intensity" as skills that separated her from other camp invitees. "I've always kind of said, it's not about talent for me. It never has been. I'm a talented player but that's never been my M.O. So it's just about going in, playing hard, maximizing my opportunity. It could've been three minutes, it could've been 20 minutes, I would've been the same way in regards to energy."
Any offseason short of trading up to get Caitlin Clark at the draft would've paled in comparison to the one the Liberty posted last winter, a stretch that yielded not just All-Stars but downright legendary WNBA talents. This time around, New York's offseason yields primarily centered on the rookie variety, a batch headlined by 11th overall pick Marquesha Davis. The Mississippi alumna should be one of the headliners of a revamped bench unit, one Sherrod has made a solid case to join in her limited time to impress.
Sherrod, fresh off guiding the Buffaloes to consecutive Sweet 16 appearances for the first time in over two decades, has made the most of the Liberty's preseason pair: she was the silver lining in Tuesday's otherwise dreary opener in Chicago before outright playing the heroine in the closing win on Thursday at Connecticut.
Even though Sherrod's unofficial professional debut was mostly buried beneath a brutal night for the New York starters, she earned special props from head coach Sandy Brondello, who lamented the "unfair" conditions that Sherrod, Davis, and their fellow freshmen had to endure.
"She did a great job. Coming off the bench, gets two straight steals in a row, gets some momentum for us, even though we were down by a lot," Brondello praised. "She has speed. She could guard (Chicago guard) Dana Evans. No one else could. She can stay in front and put pressure on her. Jaylyn played to her strengths. We're very proud of her to come in and make an impact. As a young player, you have to hang your hat on what you can do well and she did a good job."
Things played out better on Thursday against the Connecticut Sun, which saw the Liberty's assembly of All-Stars play to their more traditional brand of ball. Once consecutive triples from Ionescu, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, and Courtney Vandersloot created a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter, Brondello offered her reserves extended action against a Connecticut second unit featuring seasoned WNBA talents like Rachel Banham, Queen Egbo, and Tyasha Harris.
Though the packed Connecticut bunch fought back and took a brief lead, Sherrod developed a happy ride home, turning an interception from the arms of Egbo into the de facto game-winner. New York later forced a shot clock violation before Sherrod capped off an eight-point night with free throws off an intentional foul from Banham.
"She did a great job there," Brondello said. "She played so hard. I decided to get her in because she's a game-changer like that. I think just her athleticism really works. Banham had a tough three on her, but credit to hr, she's just resilient and she really uses her speed and got a really big turnover for us to help us win the game. I'm happy for her."
Sherrod has survived the first round of Liberty camp cuts announced on Saturday and the final spots appear to be coming down to her battle with Davis and second-round pick Esmery Martinez. As of Sunday, Sherrod is still on the roster and partaking in practice as the Liberty prep for their season opener on Tuesday in Washington (7 p.m. ET, WWOR).
Whether her No. 0 jersey still bears her name come Tuesday, Sherrod appears to have made a case for WNBA inclusion, one that will get greater when newcomers Golden State and Toronto join in the near future. Either way, Sherrod is refusing to take the New York experience for granted, no matter how or when it ends.
"It's a great opportunity. I'm just trying to soak up as much information as possible," Sherrod said. "Especially playing the point guard position, I think the best thing I can do is soak up as much information as possible, learn from my teammates, learn what they like to do, the positions they like to be in."
"With my speed, I know I can create a lot of opportunities, but it's also good to know where people like to get the ball and put them in the best position to do what they love to do ... Not a lot of people get this chance. So, regardless of how this roster shakes out, it's always a blessing to be in a room with so much greatness. I'm blessed to be able to say I'm doing that."
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI
Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks