Liberty Lands Love in WNBA GM Survey
The New York Liberty's championship run apparently landed them some, well-off new fans.
New York was well-represented on a survey of the WNBA's 13 general managers, who placed seafoam representatives at or near the top of several major lists. The decision-makers were presented with 40 questions regarding the current and upcoming state of the league and could not vote for any choices involving their own team.
From a metropolitan perspective, the biggest winners on the poll were perhaps Jonquel Jones and Liberty fans themselves: Jones was named the best international player in the WNBA, as the Bahamian-born WNBA Finals MVP landing 50 percent of the vote to beat out Seattle reps Ezi Magbegor and Dominique Malonga. Germany-born Liberty rep Leonie Fiebich received a vote in the department.
Liberty fans at Barclays Center received their honor when GMs were quizzed about the top homecourt advantage in the league: at 50 to 42 percent, the Liberty's 12th woman just beat out what the Indiana Fever have going at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The same respondents apparently believe that Brooklyn will host the Commissioners Cup Final this time around, as 50 percent believe that the in-season tournament will end with another tilt between New York and the Minnesota Lynx. Three-fifths, however, see the Lynx taking revenge for falling victim to the Liberty's first postseason trophy hoist, as Minnesota was far and away the title favorite at 60 percent (the Liberty were in second place at 20).
Breanna Stewart's name frequently dotted the poll: Jones' fellow third-year New Yorker was the runner-up in questions concerning the player that best "forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments" (a category belonging to Las Vegas MVP A'ja Wilson), the best forward in the W (shared by Wilson and Napheesa Collier of Minnesota), and the most versatile player in the Association (behind only Collier).
Stewart also received votes in questions concerning the league's best defensive player, the best leader, the best basketball IQ, and the player one would "want taking a shot with the game on the line." Sabrina Ionescu finished second in that final category, behind only Chelsea Gray, another Sin City shooter.
Jonathan Kolb's fellow GMs also seemed to be impressed with his late addition of Natasha Cloud, who was acquired from the Connecticut Sun in a February swap. The trade for Cloud received votes as the "most underrated player acquisition" (shared by Ariel Atkins, DiJonai Carrington, and Sophie Cunningham of Chicago, Dallas, and Indiana respectively) and the "most surprising" transaction (won by Carrington's move from Connecticut to Dallas). Cloud also received a vote for the league's best perimeter defender, another honor won by Carrington.
The Liberty representation was rounded out by head coach Sandy Brondello, who was one of four bosses to be named the "best manager/motivator of people" and one of three to be lauded for her "in-game adjustments." Both categories were won by Cheryl Reeve, her counterpart on the Minnesota sidelines.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
Geoff Magliocchetti is a veteran sportswriter who contributes to a variety of sites on the "On SI" network. In addition to the Yankees/Mets, Geoff also covers the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, and New York Giants and has previously written about the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Staten Island Yankees, and NASCAR.