December 6, the New York Liberty announced the team will be parting ways with head coach Walt Hopkins. Hopkins, served as the team’s head coach for the last two seasons, and had a…. tricky first season with the Liberty—finishing the year with a 2-20 record. But was Hopkins entirely to blame for this abysmal stat?
The Liberty were upended by a 2020 hectic season spent in the Bradenton, Florida due to COVID-19. Aside from being relocated to the notoriously fraught WNBA Bubble, the Liberty’s 2020 roster was riddled with injury. From Kia Nurse’s ankle sprain in the opener vs. the Seattle Storm to Sabrina Ionsecu’s season-ending ankle injury just two games later, the Liberty couldn’t catch a break.
While a 2-20 record is objectively nightmarish, was Hopkins really to blame? Besides injury, the Liberty didn’t make major trades that would significantly improve its 2020 season record. That changed in the 2021 offseason. New York drafted Michaela Onyenwere and acquired Natasha Howard and Sami Whitcomb from the Storm.
With the assets of Howard, Whitcomb, Onyenwere—who went on to receive the 2021 Rookie of the Year Award—a healthy Ionescu, and the acquisition of Betnijah Laney from the Atlanta Dream, last year’s Liberty was a whole new beast. But with novelty comes challenge.
The 2021 season was never going to be a breeze for the Liberty, even with their improved roster. Instead, the 2021 season was a chance to establish this new team; helping them to find their groove. Considering the 2021 Liberty from this angle, their 12-20 record from this past season isn’t bad. In fact, coming from a 2-20 record, 2021’s 12-20 record is a monumental improvement—an improvement made with Hopkins at the helm.
The Liberty went through significant amounts of transition in 2021, so is it really wise to bring in a new coach? What the Liberty need now more than ever is development and consistency. But who really knows what caused the dissolution of the relationship between Hopkins and the Liberty? A dissolution that led New York to part ways with Walt Hopkins.
Maybe things just weren’t working out between them. Either way, Hopkins is out. Now, Liberty fans can only hope that the upcoming head coach selection is a strong one. After all, the Liberty are on an upward trajectory from their 2020 season, and they’re in far too fragile position to risk a poor coaching selection.
Teresa Weatherspoon, Sandy Brondello, and Becky Hammon are potential candidates for the role. As a Hall of Famer, Weatherspoon’s made a name for herself not only as a player but as a coach. From her time as a full-time assistant coach with the New Orleans Pelicans, Weatherspoon has developed a close mentorship role with Zion Williamson.
When it comes to Brondello, she led the Mercury to a 2014 championship, though Weatherspoon and the Mercury parted ways after the Mercury failed to defeat the Chicago Sky for a championship trophy in the 2021 WNBA Finals. Nonetheless, Brondello is a decorated coach who would bring experience in the league that a youthful Hopkins has not yet acquired.
Like Weatherspoon, Hammon gravitated towards the NBA as the San Antonio Spurs’ assistant coach—though rumors of her ascending to the head coaching position have circulated. During her days as a player in the WNBA, Hammon spent eight seasons with the Liberty. Hopefully, the nostalgia factor will be sufficient for the Liberty to secure Hammon as head coach.
While all three coaches boast an impressive track record, Liberty management had better choose carefully after they’ve part ways with Walt Hopkins. Losing this progress will bring disappointment. As of right now, heed some advice: if you’re a Liberty fan, keep your fingers crossed.
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