2020 New York Liberty season

2020 New York Liberty season
CoachWalt Hopkins
ArenaOriginally: Barclays Center
Rescheduled to: IMG Academy gymnasiums, Bradenton, Florida
Attendance0 per game
Results
Record2–20 (.091)
Place6th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Team Leaders
PointsKia Nurse – 12.2 ppg
ReboundsAmanda Zahui B. – 8.5 rpg
AssistsLayshia Clarendon – 3.9 apg
Media
TelevisionYES

The 2020 WNBA season was the 24th season for the New York Liberty franchise of the WNBA. The Liberty opened the regular season on July 25, 2020, versus the Seattle Storm.[1]

During the off-season the Liberty announced that they would return to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn as their permanent home.[2] In the 2018 and 2019 seasons, the Liberty's primary home venue was the Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York. Additionally, the Liberty announced that Walt Hopkins would replace Katie Smith as head coach.[3][4]

This WNBA season had planned to feature an all-time high 36 regular-season games.[5] However, the plan for expanded games was put on hold on April 3, when the WNBA postponed its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] Under a plan approved on June 15, the league is scheduled to hold a shortened 22-game regular season at IMG Academy, without fans present, starting on July 24.[7][8]

The Liberty's shortened season started slowly, when they lost their first five games. Their first win came on August 7, but was followed by another seven straight losses. An eight-game losing streak saw the team finish 2–20 for the season. Number one overall draft pick Sabrina Ionescu only played in three games for the Liberty. Their .091 winning percentage was the worst in team history.

  1. ^ "2020 New York Liberty Schedule". Women's National Basketball Association. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  2. ^ Nemchock, Eric (October 18, 2019). "New York Liberty set to make Barclays Center permanent home". Swish Appeal. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  3. ^ "New York Liberty Announce Head Coach Katie Smith's Contract Not Renewed". wnba.com. WNBA. October 16, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  4. ^ Ayala, Erica (January 10, 2010). "What to make of the Liberty's hire of first-time head coach Walt Hopkins". The Athletic. Archived from the original on September 13, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  5. ^ "Atlanta Dream Announce 2020 Schedule - Atlanta Dream". dream.wnba.com. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  6. ^ "WNBA Statement Regarding the Start of the 2020 Regular Season". April 3, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  7. ^ "WNBA Announces Plan To Tip Off 2020 Season". WNBA. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  8. ^ "WNBA announces plans for 2020 season to start late July in Florida". NBC Sports Washington. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.