The 2021 New York Liberty season was the 25th season for the New York Liberty franchise of the WNBA. The Liberty opened the regular season on May 14, 2021 versus the Indiana Fever.
The Liberty started the season strong by winning their first three games and only losing two of their seven games in May. However, June turned into a much worse month for the team as wins were book-ended by two losses. The team finished 3–7 in June. Things looked to be turning around in July as the Liberty won their first two games, but they lost their last two games of the month to take a 10–11 overall record into the Olympic break. The post-Olympic break stretch of the season proved difficult for the Liberty. They won their second game out of the break after losing their first, but then went on an eight game losing streak that stretched into September. Going into the last game of the season, the Liberty were part of a three way tie for the eighth, and final playoff seed. The Liberty defeated Washington and Los Angeles lost their final game, so the Liberty won the tiebreaker and qualified for the playoffs as the eighth seed with a final record of 12–20.
As the eighth seed, the Liberty played the fifth seeded Phoenix Mercury in Phoenix in the First Round. The game was more competitive than many expected and it came down to the wire. However, the Liberty were edged out 82–83 and their season came to an end.
Transactions
WNBA draft
Round Pick Player Nationality School/Team/Country 1 6 Michaela Onyenwere UCLA 2 17 DiDi Richards Baylor 3 25 Valerie Higgins Pacific 3 29 Marine Fauthoux ASVEL Féminin
Trades/Roster Changes DateDetails September 13, 2020 Signed C Kiah Stokes to a Contract Extension January 2, 2021 Extended Qualifying Offers to F Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, G Paris Kea, and F Joyner Holmes January 3, 2021 Exercised Team Options on G Asia Durr and C Han Xu February 2, 2021 Signed G/F Betnijah Laney Signed F Joyner Holmes to a Training Camp Contract February 10, 2021 Traded G Kia Nurse and F Megan Walker to Phoenix in exchange for the 6th Overall Pick in the 2021 Draft and the Mercury's 1st Round Pick in 2022. Traded the 1st Overall Pick in the 2021 Draft, a 2nd Round Pick in 2022 (via trade with Phoenix), and New York's own 2022 2nd Round Pick to Seattle in exchange for F Natasha Howard Traded the rights to F Stephanie Talbot to Seattle in exchange for G Sami Whitcomb April 14, 2021 Signed F Asia Taylor to a Training Camp Contract April 16, 2021 Full Season Suspend C Han Xu due to Overseas Commitments April 19, 2021 Signed F Michaela Onyenwere, G Valerie Higgins, and G DiDi Richards to Rookie Scale Contracts April 24, 2021 Signed F Janelle Bailey to a Rookie Scale Contract April 26, 2021 Hired Jacki Gemelos as an Assistant Coach Signed G Rebecca Allen May 7, 2021 Waived F Janelle Bailey May 11, 2021 Waived G Valerie Higgins May 12, 2021 Temporarily Suspend G Rebecca Allen, F Natasha Howard, and C Kiah Stokes due to Overseas Commitments Full Season Suspend G Asia Durr Waive F Joyner Holmes May 13, 2021 Waive F Asia Taylor and G Jasmine Bailey Full Season Suspend G Marine Johannès due to Overseas Commitments May 14, 2021 Signed F Reshanda Gray to a Hardship Contract Signed F Joyner Holmes to a Hardship Contract May 15, 2021 Activate G Rebecca Allen from Temporary Suspension List Released F Joyner Holmes from the Hardship Contract May 18, 2021 Activate C Kiah Stokes from Temporary Suspension List Released F Reshanda Gray from the Hardship Contract May 20, 2021 Waived G Layshia Clarendon May 22, 2021 Activate F Natasha Howard from Temporary Suspension List June 6, 2021 Suspend C Kiah Stokes due to Overseas Commitments June 7, 2021 Signed F Reshanda Gray to a Hardship Contract June 22, 2021 Release F Reshanda Gray to a Hardship Contract Activate C Kiah Stokes from Temporary Suspension June 30, 2021 Waived C Kiah Stokes July 1, 2021 Signed F Reshanda Gray
Roster
Game log
Preseason
| 1 | May 3 | @ Connecticut | colspan=4 | Scrimmage | Mohegan Sun Arena0 | 0–0 |- | 2 | May 11 | Dallas | colspan=4 | Scrimmage | Barclays Center | 0–0
Regular season
| 1 | May 14 | Indiana | W 90–87 | Betnijah Laney (30) | Sabrina Ionescu (6) | Sabrina Ionescu (11) | Barclays Center1,139 | 1–0 |- | 2 | May 16 | @ Indiana | W 73-65 | Betnijah Laney (20) | Kylee Shook (7) | LaneyWhitcombIonescu (4) | Bankers Life FieldhouseNo Fans | 2–0 |- | 3 | May 18 | Minnesota | W 86–75 | Sabrina Ionescu (26) | Sabrina Ionescu (10) | Sabrina Ionescu (12) | Barclays Center815 | 3–0 |- | 4 | May 21 | @ Washington | L 72–101 | Betnijah Laney (20) | Sami Whitcomb (7) | IonescuLaney (5) | Entertainment and Sports ArenaNo Fans | 3–1 |- | 5 | May 23 | @ Chicago | W 93–85 | Betnijah Laney (20) | Natasha Howard (7) | Sabrina Ionescu (12) | Wintrust Arena1,332 | 4–1 |- | 6 | May 24 | Dallas | W 88–81 | Betnijah Laney (26) | Sabrina Ionescu (9) | DiDi Richards (5) | Barclays Center894 | 5–1 |- | 7 | May 29 | Atlanta | L 87–90 | Michaela Onyenwere (29) | LaneyStokes (6) | Betnijah Laney (11) | Barclays Center1,235 | 5–2
| 8 | June 3 | Las Vegas | L 82–94 | Betnijah Laney (23) | Kiah Stokes (13) | Sabrina Ionescu (9) | Barclays Center1,389 | 5–3 |- | 9 | June 5 | @ Connecticut | L 64–85 | Rebecca Allen (14) | Sami Whitcomb (5) | Betnijah Laney (6) | Mohegan Sun Arena2,118 | 5–4 |- | 10 | June 13 | @ Phoenix | W 85–83 | Betnijah Laney (23) | JonesLaney (7) | Betnijah Laney (10) | Phoenix Suns Arena4,476 | 6–4 |- | 11 | June 15 | @ Las Vegas | L 78–100 | Jazmine Jones (17) | Kylee Shook (9) | Betnijah Laney (6) | Michelob Ultra Arena2,115 | 6–5 |- | 12 | June 17 | @ Las Vegas | L 76–103 | Betnijah Laney (20) | Sami Whitcomb (6) | Sami Whitcomb (5) | Michelob Ultra ArenaNo Fans | 6–6 |- | 13 | June 20 | @ Los Angeles | W 76–73 | Rebecca Allen (19) | Sami Whitcomb (9) | Betnijah Laney (5) | Los Angeles Convention Center731 | 7–6 |- | 14 | June 22 | Chicago | L 72–92 | Betnijah Laney (18) | Sabrina Ionescu (8) | Sabrina Ionescu (7) | Barclays Center1,419 | 7–7 |- | 15 | June 24 | Chicago | L 68–91 | Michaela Onyenwere (16) | Kylee Shook (11) | Sabrina Ionescu (5) | Barclays Center2,148 | 7–8 |- | 16 | June 26 | @ Atlanta | W 101–78 | Sami Whitcomb (30) | Kylee Shook (11) | Sabrina Ionescu (8) | Gateway Center Arena1,605 | 8–8 |- | 17 | June 29 | @ Atlanta | L 69–73 | Betnijah Laney (16) | Kylee Shook (8) | Betnijah Laney (7) | Gateway Center Arena1,131 | 8–9
| 18 | July 3 | Washington | W 82–79 | Betnijah Laney (19) | Sami Whitcomb (9) | Sabrina Ionescu (5) | Barclays Center1,615 | 9–9 |- | 19 | July 5 | Dallas | W 99–96 | Sami Whitcomb (26) | Kylee Shook (8) | Sabrina Ionescu (12) | Barclays Center1,677 | 10–9 |- | 20 | July 9 | @ Indiana | L 69–82 | Betnijah Laney (23) | Betnijah Laney (8) | IonescuLaneyShook (4) | Indiana Farmers ColiseumNo Fans | 10–10 |- | 21 | July 11 | Connecticut | L 54–71 | Kylee Shook (16) | IonescuWhitcomb (7) | IonescuRichardsWhitcomb (3) | Barclays Center | 10–11
| 22 | August 15 | @ Minnesota | L 78–88 | Natasha Howard (30) | Sabrina Ionescu (7) | Sabrina Ionescu (6) | Target Center3,534 | 10–12 |- | 23 | August 18 | Seattle | W 83–79 | AllenLaney (17) | IonescuLaney (7) | Betnijah Laney (8) | Barclays Center2,103 | 11–12 |- | 24 | August 20 | Seattle | L 83–99 | Sami Whitcomb (26) | Natasha Howard (13) | Sami Whitcomb (8) | Barclays Center3,889 | 11–13 |- | 25 | August 22 | Los Angeles | L 83–86 | HowardWhitcomb (17) | Natasha Howard (11) | Betnijah Laney (9) | Barclays CenterN/A | 11–14 |- | 26 | August 25 | Phoenix | L 79–106 | Betnijah Laney (20) | AllenLaney (8) | Sabrina Ionescu (7) | Barclays Center1,872 | 11–15 |- | 27 | August 27 | Phoenix | L 64–80 | Natasha Howard (18) | Sabrina Ionescu (10) | Sabrina Ionescu (9) | Barclays Center2,315 | 11–16 |- | 28 | August 31 | @ Minnesota | L 66–74 | IonescuLaney (17) | Michaela Onyenwere (10) | Sabrina Ionescu (6) | Target Center3,221 | 11–17
| 29 | September 2 | @ Seattle | L 75–85 | Sabrina Ionescu (20) | Betnijah Laney (7) | Sabrina Ionescu (7) | Angel of the Winds Arena3,592 | 11–18 |- | 30 | September 11 | @ Dallas | L 76–77 | Betnijah Laney (19) | Natasha Howard (11) | IonescuLaney (6) | College Park Center2,888 | 11–19 |- | 31 | September 15 | @ Connecticut | L 69–98 | Natasha Howard (25) | Natasha Howard (8) | Sabrina Ionescu (5) | Mohegan Sun Arena4,012 | 11–20 |- | 32 | September 17 | Washington | W 91–80 | Natasha Howard (24) | Natasha Howard (10) | Betnijah Laney (11) | Barclays Center3,615 | 12–20
Playoffs
| 1 | September 23 | @ Phoenix | 82–83 | Betnijah Laney (25) | Natasha Howard (10) | Sabrina Ionescu (11) | Grand Canyon University Arena5,827 | 0–1
Standings
Playoffs
Awards and honors Recipient Award Date awarded Ref. Sabrina Ionescu Eastern Conference Player of the Week May 24 Betnijah Laney June 1 Michaela Onyenwere WNBA Rookie of the Month - May June 2 Walt Hopkins WNBA Coach of the Month - May June 2 Michaela Onyenwere WNBA Rookie of the Month - June July 1 Betnijah Laney WNBA All-Star Selection June 30 Michaela Onyenwere WNBA Rookie of the Month - August September 2 Natasha Howard Eastern Conference Player of the Week September 20 Michaela Onyenwere WNBA Rookie of the Month - September September 22 WNBA Rookie of the Year October 5 DiDi Richards WNBA All-Rookie Team October 5 Michaela Onyenwere
Statistics
Source:
Regular season Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG Betnijah Laney 32 32 33.7 45.1 31.2 78.7 4.1 5.2 0.7 0.1 16.8 Natasha Howard 13 13 27.5 49.4 33.3 77.4 7.2 1.7 1.3 0.5 16.2 Sami Whitcomb 30 28 28.1 47.3 42.5 81.8 5.0 2.7 1.0 0.3 11.7 Sabrina Ionescu 30 26 30.0 37.9 32.5 91.1 5.7 6.1 0.6 0.5 11.7 Rebecca Allen 25 13 24.2 34.3 38.1 89.2 3.7 1.1 1.6 1.2 9.2 Michaela Onyenwere 32 29 22.5 39.9 32.7 83.6 2.9 0.6 0.4 0.3 8.6 Reshanda Gray 15 0 14.1 53.1 22.2 69.2 3.5 0.3 0.3 0.3 5.9 Jazmine Jones 27 0 16.6 35.6 38.3 76.1 2.4 1.1 0.5 0.4 5.9 Kylee Shook 30 19 18.9 46.7 39.3 80.0 4.0 1.4 0.3 0.5 5.7 Leaonna Odom 18 0 11.5 46.7 29.4 75.0 1.2 0.4 0.3 0.3 3.1 DiDi Richards 31 0 11.2 42.2 45.5 60.0 1.1 0.8 0.5 0.2 2.3 Jocelyn Willoughby 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
References
External links The Official Site of the New York Liberty