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Liberty Team Creation
The New York Liberty was selected as one of the eight charter members of the WNBA on Oct. 30, 1996. The Liberty remains one of four original franchises to continue to compete in the league and is the only team in WNBA history to operate under the same ownership since the league’s inaugural season.
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Signing of Cappie Pondexter
The New York Liberty fared better in 2010, during Donovan’s first and only full season as head coach. Led by newly signed high scorer Cappie Pondexter (formerly of the Phoenix Mercury) and the 2010 Most Improved Player Award winner Leilani Mitchell, the team made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the Atlanta Dream.
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Liberty Hire Isiah Thomas
On May 5, 2015, the Liberty hired Thomas as Team President overseeing all business and basketball operations of the franchise. Under Thomas’ leadership as team president and the coaching staff led by Bill Laimbeeras head coach, the Liberty finished first in the Eastern Conference during the 2015 season.
The New York Liberty are a professional basketball team based in the New York metropolitan area, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded in 1997 and is one of the eight original franchises of the league. The team is owned by The Madison Square Garden Company, who also own the Liberty’s NBA G League counterpart, the Westchester Knicks, and played several seasons at Madison Square Garden.
Established
1997
City
New York
League History
1997 – Present / Women’s National Basketball Association
Team History
1997 – Present / New York Liberty
Nickname
Liberty – With the famous Statue of Liberty located in New York, the name Liberty is a natural.
Championship
WNBA Championships 0
Arena
2020 – Present / Barclays Center
2018 – 2019 / Westchester County Center
1997–2010, 2014–2017 / Madison Square Garden
2011 – 2013 / Prudential Center
Owner
2020 – Present / Joe and Clara Tsai
2010 – 2019 / Madison Square Garden, Inc.
1997 – 2009 / Cablevision
Retired Number
*Blue is this team’s history