2021 New York Liberty season

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.^[1]

2021 New York Liberty season
Coach	Walt Hopkins
Arena	Barclays Center
Attendance	1,874 per game
Results
Record	12–20 (.375)
Place	3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finish	8th seed, Lost in the First Round to Phoenix Mercury
Team Leaders
Points	Betnijah Laney – 16.8 ppg
Rebounds	Natasha Howard – 7.2 rpg
Assists	Sabrina Ionescu – 6.1 apg
Media
Television	YES
← 2020 season 2022 season →

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

See also: 2021 WNBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Nationality	School/Team/Country
1	6	Michaela Onyenwere	United States	UCLA
2	17	DiDi Richards	United States	Baylor
3	25	Valerie Higgins	United States	Pacific
3	29	Marine Fauthoux	France	ASVEL Féminin (France)

Trades/Roster Changes

Date	Details
September 13, 2020	Signed C Kiah Stokes to a Contract Extension[2]
January 2, 2021	Extended Qualifying Offers to F Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, G Paris Kea, and F Joyner Holmes[3]
January 3, 2021	Exercised Team Options on G Asia Durr and C Han Xu[4]
February 2, 2021	Signed G/F Betnijah Laney[5]
	Signed F Joyner Holmes to a Training Camp Contract[6]
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.[7]
	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[7]
	Traded the rights to F Stephanie Talbot to Seattle in exchange for G Sami Whitcomb[7]
April 14, 2021	Signed F Asia Taylor to a Training Camp Contract[8]
April 16, 2021	Full Season Suspend C Han Xu due to Overseas Commitments[9]
April 19, 2021	Signed F Michaela Onyenwere, G Valerie Higgins, and G DiDi Richards to Rookie Scale Contracts[10]
April 24, 2021	Signed F Janelle Bailey to a Rookie Scale Contract[11]
April 26, 2021	Hired Jacki Gemelos as an Assistant Coach[12]
	Signed G Rebecca Allen[13]
May 7, 2021	Waived F Janelle Bailey[14]
May 11, 2021	Waived G Valerie Higgins[15]
May 12, 2021	Temporarily Suspend G Rebecca Allen, F Natasha Howard, and C Kiah Stokes due to Overseas Commitments[16]
	Full Season Suspend G Asia Durr
	Waive F Joyner Holmes[17]
May 13, 2021	Waive F Asia Taylor and G Jasmine Bailey[18]
	Full Season Suspend G Marine Johannès due to Overseas Commitments
May 14, 2021	Signed F Reshanda Gray to a Hardship Contract[19]
	Signed F Joyner Holmes to a Hardship Contract[20]
May 15, 2021	Activate G Rebecca Allen from Temporary Suspension List
	Released F Joyner Holmes from the Hardship Contract[21]
May 18, 2021	Activate C Kiah Stokes from Temporary Suspension List
	Released F Reshanda Gray from the Hardship Contract[22]
May 20, 2021	Waived G Layshia Clarendon[23]
May 22, 2021	Activate F Natasha Howard from Temporary Suspension List[24]
June 6, 2021	Suspend C Kiah Stokes due to Overseas Commitments[25]
June 7, 2021	Signed F Reshanda Gray to a Hardship Contract[26]
June 22, 2021	Release F Reshanda Gray to a Hardship Contract[26]
	Activate C Kiah Stokes from Temporary Suspension
June 30, 2021	Waived C Kiah Stokes[27]
July 1, 2021	Signed F Reshanda Gray[28]

Roster

2021 New York Liberty roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Height Weight DOB From Yrs G/F 9 Allen, Rebecca 6' 2" (1.88m) 162 lb (73kg) 1992-11-06 Australia 5 F 1 Gray, Reshanda 6' 2" (1.88m) 192 lb (87kg) 1993-06-01 California 4 F 6 Howard, Natasha 6' 2" (1.88m) 165 lb (75kg) 1991-09-02 Florida State 7 G 20 Ionescu, Sabrina 5' 11" (1.8m) 165 lb (75kg) 1997-12-06 Oregon 1 G 4 Jones, Jazmine 6' 0" (1.83m) 160 lb (73kg) 1996-10-15 Louisville 1 G/F 44 Laney, Betnijah 6' 0" (1.83m) 166 lb (75kg) 1993-10-29 Rutgers 5 F 0 Odom, Leaonna 6' 2" (1.88m) 168 lb (76kg) 1998-03-26 Duke 1 F 12 Onyenwere, Michaela 6' 0" (1.83m) 178 lb (81kg) 1999-08-10 UCLA R G/F 2 Richards, DiDi 6' 2" (1.88m) 164 lb (74kg) 1999-02-08 Baylor R C 24 Shook, Kylee 6' 5" (1.96m) 200 lb (91kg) 1998-03-18 Louisville 1 G 32 Whitcomb, Sami 5' 10" (1.78m) 145 lb (66kg) 1988-07-20 Washington 4 G/F 13 Willoughby, Jocelyn  6' 0" (1.83m) 180 lb (82kg) 1998-03-25 Virginia R	Head coach Walt Hopkins (Nevada) Assistant coaches Shelley Patterson (Washington State) Dustin Gray (Arizona State) Jacki Gemelos (USC) Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Game log

Preseason

2021 pre-season game log
May: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 May 3 @ Connecticut Scrimmage Mohegan Sun Arena 0 0–0 2 May 11 Dallas Scrimmage Barclays Center 0–0
2021 pre-season schedule

Regular season

2021 game log Total: 12–20 (Home: 7–9; Road: 5–11)
May: 5–2 (Home: 3–1; Road: 2–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 May 14 Indiana W 90–87 Betnijah Laney (30) Sabrina Ionescu (6) Sabrina Ionescu (11) Barclays Center 1,139 1–0 2 May 16 @ Indiana W 73-65 Betnijah Laney (20) Kylee Shook (7) Laney Whitcomb Ionescu (4) Bankers Life Fieldhouse No Fans 2–0 3 May 18 Minnesota W 86–75 Sabrina Ionescu (26) Sabrina Ionescu (10) Sabrina Ionescu (12) Barclays Center 815 3–0 4 May 21 @ Washington L 72–101 Betnijah Laney (20) Sami Whitcomb (7) Ionescu Laney (5) Entertainment and Sports Arena No Fans 3–1 5 May 23 @ Chicago W 93–85 Betnijah Laney (20) Natasha Howard (7) Sabrina Ionescu (12) Wintrust Arena 1,332 4–1 6 May 24 Dallas W 88–81 Betnijah Laney (26) Sabrina Ionescu (9) DiDi Richards (5) Barclays Center 894 5–1 7 May 29 Atlanta L 87–90 Michaela Onyenwere (29) Laney Stokes (6) Betnijah Laney (11) Barclays Center 1,235 5–2
June : 3–7 (Home: 0–3; Road: 3–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 8 June 3 Las Vegas L 82–94 Betnijah Laney (23) Kiah Stokes (13) Sabrina Ionescu (9) Barclays Center 1,389 5–3 9 June 5 @ Connecticut L 64–85 Rebecca Allen (14) Sami Whitcomb (5) Betnijah Laney (6) Mohegan Sun Arena 2,118 5–4 10 June 13 @ Phoenix W 85–83 Betnijah Laney (23) Jones Laney (7) Betnijah Laney (10) Phoenix Suns Arena 4,476 6–4 11 June 15 @ Las Vegas L 78–100 Jazmine Jones (17) Kylee Shook (9) Betnijah Laney (6) Michelob Ultra Arena 2,115 6–5 12 June 17 @ Las Vegas L 76–103 Betnijah Laney (20) Sami Whitcomb (6) Sami Whitcomb (5) Michelob Ultra Arena No Fans 6–6 13 June 20 @ Los Angeles W 76–73 Rebecca Allen (19) Sami Whitcomb (9) Betnijah Laney (5) Los Angeles Convention Center 731 7–6 14 June 22 Chicago L 72–92 Betnijah Laney (18) Sabrina Ionescu (8) Sabrina Ionescu (7) Barclays Center 1,419 7–7 15 June 24 Chicago L 68–91 Michaela Onyenwere (16) Kylee Shook (11) Sabrina Ionescu (5) Barclays Center 2,148 7–8 16 June 26 @ Atlanta W 101–78 Sami Whitcomb (30) Kylee Shook (11) Sabrina Ionescu (8) Gateway Center Arena 1,605 8–8 17 June 29 @ Atlanta L 69–73 Betnijah Laney (16) Kylee Shook (8) Betnijah Laney (7) Gateway Center Arena 1,131 8–9
July : 2–2 (Home: 2–1; Road: 0–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 18 July 3 Washington W 82–79 Betnijah Laney (19) Sami Whitcomb (9) Sabrina Ionescu (5) Barclays Center 1,615 9–9 19 July 5 Dallas W 99–96 Sami Whitcomb (26) Kylee Shook (8) Sabrina Ionescu (12) Barclays Center 1,677 10–9 20 July 9 @ Indiana L 69–82 Betnijah Laney (23) Betnijah Laney (8) Ionescu Laney Shook (4) Indiana Farmers Coliseum No Fans 10–10 21 July 11 Connecticut L 54–71 Kylee Shook (16) Ionescu Whitcomb (7) Ionescu Richards Whitcomb (3) Barclays Center 10–11
August : 1–6 (Home: 1–4; Road: 0–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 22 August 15 @ Minnesota L 78–88 Natasha Howard (30) Sabrina Ionescu (7) Sabrina Ionescu (6) Target Center 3,534 10–12 23 August 18 Seattle W 83–79 Allen Laney (17) Ionescu Laney (7) Betnijah Laney (8) Barclays Center 2,103 11–12 24 August 20 Seattle L 83–99 Sami Whitcomb (26) Natasha Howard (13) Sami Whitcomb (8) Barclays Center 3,889 11–13 25 August 22 Los Angeles L 83–86 Howard Whitcomb (17) Natasha Howard (11) Betnijah Laney (9) Barclays Center N/A 11–14 26 August 25 Phoenix L 79–106 Betnijah Laney (20) Allen Laney (8) Sabrina Ionescu (7) Barclays Center 1,872 11–15 27 August 27 Phoenix L 64–80 Natasha Howard (18) Sabrina Ionescu (10) Sabrina Ionescu (9) Barclays Center 2,315 11–16 28 August 31 @ Minnesota L 66–74 Ionescu Laney (17) Michaela Onyenwere (10) Sabrina Ionescu (6) Target Center 3,221 11–17
September : 1–3 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 29 September 2 @ Seattle L 75–85 Sabrina Ionescu (20) Betnijah Laney (7) Sabrina Ionescu (7) Angel of the Winds Arena 3,592 11–18 30 September 11 @ Dallas L 76–77 Betnijah Laney (19) Natasha Howard (11) Ionescu Laney (6) College Park Center 2,888 11–19 31 September 15 @ Connecticut L 69–98 Natasha Howard (25) Natasha Howard (8) Sabrina Ionescu (5) Mohegan Sun Arena 4,012 11–20 32 September 17 Washington W 91–80 Natasha Howard (24) Natasha Howard (10) Betnijah Laney (11) Barclays Center 3,615 12–20
2021 season schedule

Playoffs

2021 playoff game log Total: 0–1
First round Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 September 23 @ Phoenix 82–83 Betnijah Laney (25) Natasha Howard (10) Sabrina Ionescu (11) Grand Canyon University Arena 5,827 0–1
2021 playoff schedule

Standings

#	Team	W	L	PCT	GB	Conf.	Home	Road	Cup
1	x – Connecticut Sun	26	6	.813	–	12–3	15–1	11–5	9–1
2	x – Las Vegas Aces	24	8	.750	2	11–4	13–3	11–5	6–4
3	x – Minnesota Lynx	22	10	.688	4	10–5	13–3	9–7	7–3
4	x – Seattle Storm	21	11	.656	5	9–6	11–5	10–6	8–2
5	x – Phoenix Mercury	19	13	.594	7	6–9	7–9	12–4	5–5
6	x – Chicago Sky	16	16	.500	10	10–5	6–10	10–6	6–4
7	x – Dallas Wings	14	18	.438	12	7–8	7–9	7–9	3–7
8	x – New York Liberty	12	20	.375	14	6–9	7–9	5–11	5–5
9	e – Washington Mystics	12	20	.375	14	7–8	8–8	4–12	4–6
10	e – Los Angeles Sparks	12	20	.375	14	2–13	8–8	4–12	1–9
11	e – Atlanta Dream	8	24	.250	18	6–9	4–12	4–12	4–6
12	e – Indiana Fever	6	26	.188	20	4–11	4–12	2–14	2–8

• v
• t
• e

Notes

(#) – League Standing

x – Clinched playoff berth

e – Eliminated from playoff contention

Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

Playoffs

	First round single elimination Sept. 23					Second round single elimination Sept. 26					Semifinals Best-of-5 Sept. 28 – Oct. 8					Finals Best-of-5 Oct. 10 – 17
											2	Las Vegas Aces	2
						4	Seattle Storm	80			5	Phoenix Mercury	3
	5	Phoenix Mercury	83			5	Phoenix Mercury	85OT								5	Phoenix Mercury	1
	8	New York Liberty	82													6	Chicago Sky	3
											1	Connecticut Sun	1
						3	Minnesota Lynx	76			6	Chicago Sky	3
	6	Chicago Sky	81			6	Chicago Sky	89
	7	Dallas Wings	64

Note: Teams re-seeded after each round.

• Bold – Game or series winner
• Italic – Team with home-court advantage

Awards and honors

Recipient	Award	Date awarded	Ref.
Sabrina Ionescu	Eastern Conference Player of the Week	May 24	[29]
Betnijah Laney		June 1	[30]
Michaela Onyenwere	WNBA Rookie of the Month - May	June 2	[31]
Walt Hopkins	WNBA Coach of the Month - May	June 2	[32]
Michaela Onyenwere	WNBA Rookie of the Month - June	July 1	[33]
Betnijah Laney	WNBA All-Star Selection	June 30	[34]
Michaela Onyenwere	WNBA Rookie of the Month - August	September 2	[35]
Natasha Howard	Eastern Conference Player of the Week	September 20	[36]
Michaela Onyenwere	WNBA Rookie of the Month - September	September 22	[37]
	WNBA Rookie of the Year	October 5	[38]
DiDi Richards	WNBA All-Rookie Team	October 5	[39]
Michaela Onyenwere

Statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game	RPG	Rebounds per game
APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game	BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage	TO	Turnovers per game
PF	Fouls per game		Team leader		League leader

Source:^[40]

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