FILE – Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot dribbles the ball against the New York Liberty during the first half of a WNBA basketball playoff game, Aug. 23, 2022, in New York. Vandersloot, who had played her entire 12-year career with the Chicago Sky, announced on social media on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, she would play with New York Liberty this season, a day after Breanna Stewart said she’d play in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray, File)
AP
NEW YORK
Courtney Vandersloot became the latest star to join the New York Liberty.
Vandersloot, who had played her entire 12-year career with the Chicago Sky, announced Thursday on social media that she would play with the Liberty this season, a day after Breanna Stewart said she’d play in New York.
The moves give New York a potent lineup, with Stewart, Vandersloot, Sabrina Ionescu, Betnijah Laney and Jonquel Jones making the Liberty an instant championship contender. New York, one of the WNBA’s original franchises, has never won a title.
Vandersloot had announced late Tuesday on social media that she wasn’t returning to Chicago. She has led the league in assists six times and helped the Sky win the 2021 WNBA championship.
Stewart and Vandersloot currently are playing together in Turkey.
They were two of the biggest names in free agency that were expected to change teams. Vandersloot’s former teammate Candace Parker also left the Sky to go to Las Vegas.
Other big name free agents still out there include Brittney Griner, who said she was returning to Phoenix, and Diana Taurasi, who also is expected to continue her career with the Mercury. Nneka Ogwumike and sister Chiney also are free agents and both are expected to go back to Los Angeles.
Other moves on Thursday included Kalani Brown signing with Dallas.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
This story was originally published February 2, 2023 12:13 PM.
