On Tuesday night time on the Leisure and Sports activities Enviornment, Stefanie Dolson was fortunately greeting her former Liberty teammates and employees as they arrived for the 2024 season opener in Washington, D.C.
Only a yr in the past, the two-time All-Star middle was in the beginning of an extended trip to a WNBA Finals look in New York.
However, throughout free company, she determined she didn’t wish to be part of that trip for an additional yr.
Dolson had held a beginning position with the Liberty in the course of the 2022 season earlier than they acquired Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Courtney Vandersloot to start their superteam period.
And after the 2023 marketing campaign, she selected to maneuver on to Washington the place she began her skilled profession and earned an All-Star nod in 2015.
“A number of issues occurred after final season, some good, some not so good. So, it was an unlucky state of affairs that needed to occur,” Dolson advised The Submit forward of the Liberty’s 85-80 win over the Mystics. “However, I made the selection that was greatest for myself and I needed to play they usually have a lot expertise on that crew that I knew there wasn’t a lot house for me.
“So, I used to be excited for this chance to come back right here and actually have extra of an opportunity to play and present my sport.”
Dolson, who received a championship in 2021 with the Sky, scored 12 factors throughout 27 minutes within the Mystics’ season-opening loss — time on the courtroom she did largely not see with the Liberty in 2023.
With out Dolson within the combine, the Liberty added new items to the rotation.
And for a few of these contemporary faces, together with Leonie Fiebich, becoming a member of a crew that has championship aspirations, was a promoting level, even when that meant taking up a supporting position.
“I feel simply the best way the crew performs, they transfer the ball very well. There’s a whole lot of freedom too, so I feel everyone can deliver their fashion of basketball in,” Fiebich, a ahead, stated of her reasoning for coming from abroad to play within the WNBA.
“After which, you understand, you by no means say no to a GM that involves you and says ‘Hey, we wish to win a championship.’”
Liberty basic supervisor Jonathan Kolb additionally pulled in Ivana Dojkic from the Storm and Kennedy Burke after a yr with Villeneuve-d’Ascq in France after 4 seasons within the WNBA.
“I’m simply excited to be surrounded by nice athletes, nice gamers, nice ladies. So, I imply, yeah, there’s not loads to say, I’m simply blessed to be right here,” Burke stated.
Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello performed 9 gamers within the opening quarter on Tuesday.
Fiebich, Dojkic, and Burke collectively tallied 9 factors throughout a complete of what Brondello deemed a “actually productive” 29 minutes.
