NY Liberty Open Training Camp in Tarrytown, All Eyes on Isiah Thomas
The New York Liberty held their Media Day at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility, in Tarrytown, on Thursday, May 21.
Despite the obvious absence of six-time All Star guard Cappie Pondexter, who played with the Liberty from 2010-2014, and regardless of the quality performance of a revived and now healthy Essence Carson, most of the focus at training camp surrounded the controversial hiring of Isiah Thomas, as the NY Liberty’s President of Basketball Operations.
Thomas returned to the Madison Square Garden Company (some say he never really left) after presiding over the NY Knicks as President from 2003-2008, with two of those years simultaneously working as their Head Coach from 2006-2008. Thomas is also said to be waiting for approval from the WNBA to become part owner of the Liberty.
Thomas is less known for his disappointing record as President and Head Coach of the Knicks, while mustering a total 112-216 record, and more remembered for the sexual harassment claims brought against him by former Knicks Executive Anucha Browne Sanders in 2007.
Browne Sanders was fired by MSG President James Dolan for bringing her claims to his attention, which resulted in her filing a lawsuit against MSG. Browne Sanders won the lawsuit and the MSG Company settled for $11.5 million.
Nonetheless, Thomas professed his innocence the entire time and was not held responsible for any punitive damages in regard to the judgment against the MSG Company.
In fact, Madison Square Garden released a statement before the official announcement of Thomas’s hiring with the Liberty, which read: “We did not believe the allegations then, and we don’t believe them now. We feel strongly that Isiah Thomas was held responsible for sordid allegations that were completely unrelated to him, and for which MSG bore responsibility. In fact, when given the opportunity, the jury did not find Isiah liable for punitive damages, confirming he did not act maliciously or in bad faith. We believe Isiah belongs in basketball, and are grateful that he has committed his considerable talent to help the Liberty succeed.”
The Liberty brought back Head Coach Bill Laimbeer for his third season and he has added former Knicks Assistant Coach Herb Williams as an assistant and an original Liberty member “Miss Liberty” herself, Teresa “Spoon” Weatherspoon, as the Director of Player Development.
Laimbeer and Thomas are renowned as the leaders of the “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons, who won back-to-back Championships in 1989 and 1990. Now they will work together to try and bring a WNBA Championship to New York.
“Isiah has a great basketball mind, he might see some things that I don’t. I’ll ask a lot of questions. Also, our wives have been really good friends for the past 30 years, so it is good to have him around,” said Laimbeer.
When you review the front office personal and coaching staff, as well as the structure of the new and hopefully improved 2015 Liberty team, one would have to wonder, how they could miss winning a Championship this year.
This includes, Thomas in the front office with Laimbeer, Spoon, Williams and the WNBA All-Time Leading Three-point Scorer Katie Smith on coaching staff. “I welcome you to the Liberty. I hope you enjoyed practice and I hope you saw what I am very excited about,” said Thomas.
The on-court team will be lead by four-time WNBA All Star Tina Charles and the leadership of 14-year veteran Swin Cash. The Liberty said goodbye to Cappie Pondexter after four years, as she returned home to Chicago to play for the Chicago Sky.
Pondexter was traded straight up for guard Epiphanny Prince, another Rutgers University star, who came over from the Sky. However, Prince will not be available to the Liberty until 10 games into the 2015 season. She is committed to playing with the Russian National Team in the EuroBasket Women’s Tournament.
Also the Liberty made some wise selections in the 2015 WNBA Draft. They signed guard Brittany Boyd from the University of California, Kiah Stokes, the well-known center from UCONN and guard Amber Orange from Stanford University. The Liberty also signed former Los Angeles Sparks three-point ace Candice Wiggins, as a free agent.
Did Thomas have anything to do with these progressions of the Liberty? Of course, he has been consulting the Liberty since the fall of last year. But what will it mean? The Liberty have gotten all they wanted and more from MSG Executive Chairman James Dolan, now let’s see what they are going to do with it this year.
The Liberty will open their 2015 season at Madison Square Garden, against the Atlanta Dream, on Friday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m.
