The 2018 WNBA season is the 22nd season for the New York Liberty franchise of the WNBA . The season tips off on May 20.[ 1] During the off-season the Liberty hired Katie Smith as head coach. Smith replaced Bill Laimbeer , who left to coach the Las Vegas Aces .[ 2] It was also announced in the offseason that the team would play its home games at the Westchester County Center .[ 3]
The 2018 season ended up being a difficult one for the Liberty. After having achieved a 22-win season in 2017, the team could only muster 7 wins in 2018. The team started 1–2 in May, but quickly fell behind the playoff pace going 3–9 in June. Things did not improve in July when the team went 3–7. The team finished the season on a thirteen-game losing streak, including an 0–9 August to finish the season 7–27. This was the franchise's worst record in its history. The previous worst was 11–23 in 2013.
Trades/Roster Changes
edit
2018 New York Liberty roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Nat.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
Yrs
G/F
9
Allen, Rebecca
6' 2" (1.88m)
162 lb (73kg)
11-06-1992
Australia
3
G
15
Boyd, Brittany
5' 9" (1.75m)
156 lb (71kg)
06-11-1993
California
3
F/C
31
Charles, Tina
6' 4" (1.93m)
192 lb (87kg)
12-05-1988
Connecticut
8
G/F
0
Coleman, Marissa
6' 1" (1.85m)
160 lb (73kg)
01-04-1987
Maryland
9
G
8
Hartley, Bria
5' 8" (1.73m)
148 lb (67kg)
09-30-1992
Connecticut
4
G
5
Nurse, Kia
6' 0" (1.83m)
–
02-22-1996
Connecticut
R
G
10
Prince, Epiphanny
5' 9" (1.75m)
179 lb (81kg)
01-11-1988
Rutgers
8
G
14
Rodgers, Sugar
5' 9" (1.75m)
161 lb (73kg)
12-08-1989
Georgetown
5
C
41
Stokes, Kiah
6' 3" (1.91m)
191 lb (87kg)
03-30-1993
Connecticut
3
C
7
Vaughn, Kia
6' 4" (1.93m)
205 lb (93kg)
01-24-1987
Rutgers
9
C
17
Zahui B., Amanda
6' 5" (1.96m)
250 lb (113kg)
09-08-1993
Minnesota
3
G
1
Zellous, Shavonte
5' 10" (1.78m)
188 lb (85kg)
08-28-1986
Pittsburgh
9
Head coach
Katie Smith (Ohio State )
Assistant coaches
Herb Williams (Ohio State )
Barbara Farris (Tulane )
Athletic trainer
Chantal Hart
Legend
(C) Team captain
(FA) Free agent
(IN) Inactive
(S) Suspended
Injured
2018 game log Total: 7–27 (Home: 4–13; Road: 3–14)
May: 1–2 (Home: 1–1; Road: 0–1)
June
: 3–9 (Home: 2–5; Road: 1–4)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
4
June 2
@ Indiana
W 87–81
Nurse (34)
Stokes (12)
Tied (4)
Bankers Life Fieldhouse 5,575
2–2
5
June 5
Phoenix
L 74–80
Charles (25)
Tied (8)
Hartley (5)
Madison Square Garden 7,215
2–3
6
June 7
Connecticut
L 86–88
Charles (24)
Charles (9)
Zellous (7)
Westchester County Center 1,581
2–4
7
June 10
Indiana
W 78–75
Rodgers (16)
Tied (4)
4 Tied (3)
Westchester County Center 1,537
3–4
8
June 13
Las Vegas
L 63–78
Charles (19)
Coleman (5)
Coleman (5)
Westchester County Center 1,419
3–5
9
June 16
@ Minnesota
L 71–85
Charles (12)
Tied (4)
Hartley (6)
Target Center 9,114
3–6
10
June 19
Atlanta
W 79–72
Charles (29)
Vaughn (9)
Boyd (11)
Westchester County Center 1,627
4–6
11
June 22
@ Las Vegas
L 78–88
Tied (14)
Charles (8)
3 Tied (5)
Mandalay Bay Events Center 5,478
4–7
12
June 24
@ Los Angeles
54–80
Zahui B (21)
Boyd (6)
Boyd (8)
Staples Center 9,203
4–8
13
June 26
Phoenix
L 69–83
Charles (12)
Charles (8)
Boyd (7)
Westchester County Center 1,839
4–9
14
June 28
@ Washington
L 77–80
Prince (21)
Charles (7)
Charles (6)
Capital One Arena 4,473
4–10
15
June 29
Chicago
L 99–103
Charles (24)
Stokes (5)
Prince (5)
Westchester County Center 1,837
4–11
July
: 3–7 (Home: 1–3; Road: 2–4)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
16
July 1
@ Chicago
W 97–94 (OT)
Charles (28)
Vaughn (11)
Boyd (5)
Wintrust Arena 5,382
5–11
17
July 3
Seattle
L 62–77
Hartley (16)
Zellous (7)
3 Tied (4)
Westchester County Center 1,749
5–12
18
July 5
@ Washington
L 67–86
Charles (26)
Charles (12)
Hartley (7)
Capital One Arena 4,674
5–13
19
July 8
Dallas
L 87–97
Charles (26)
Charles (9)
Boyd (5)
Westchester County Center 1,719
5–14
20
July 11
@ Connecticut
W 79–76
Charles (19)
Charles (11)
Boyd (8)
Mohegan Sun Arena 7,413
6–14
21
July 15
Chicago
W 107–84
Charles (21)
Vaughn (7)
Boyd (10)
Westchester County Center 2,073
7–14
22
July 17
@ Dallas
L 87–104
Nurse (25)
Charles (6)
Tied (4)
College Park Center 6,459
7–15
23
July 19
@ Atlanta
L 68–82
Charles (11)
Boyd (7)
Boyd (10)
McCamish Pavilion 3,074
7–16
24
July 21
Washington
L 78–95
Charles (22)
Charles (5)
Hartley (6)
Westchester County Center 2,005
7–17
25
July 24
@ Minnesota
L 82–85
Charles (32)
Charles (15)
Boyd (9)
Target Center 9,830
7–18
August
: 0–9 (Home: 0–4; Road: 0–5)
2018 season schedule
Recipient
Award
Date awarded
Ref.
Tina Charles
WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week
June 4, 2018
[ 6]
WNBA All-Star Selection
July 17, 2018
[ 7]
^ "2018 New York Liberty Schedule" . Women's National Basketball Association. Retrieved April 10, 2018 .
^ "Katie Smith Named New York Liberty Head Coach" . New York Liberty. Retrieved October 22, 2017 .
^ "MSG to Operate Liberty While Continuing to Pursue Sale, Westchester County Center to Serve as Team's Primary Home for 2018" . New York Liberty. February 8, 2018.
^ a b c d "Liberty Re-Signs Kia Vaughn and Bria Hartley" . liberty.wnba.com . February 9, 2018. Retrieved April 10, 2018 .
^ "New York Liberty Sign Nine-Year Veteran Marissa Coleman" . liberty.wnba.com . May 1, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018 .
^ "Tina Charles, Liz Cambage Named Players of the Week" . wnba.com . WNBA. June 4, 2018. Retrieved June 4, 2018 .
^ "2018 WNBA All-Stars Announced; Elena Delle Donne, Candace Parker To Serve As Player-Captains" . wnba.com . WNBA. July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018 .