Attention basketball fanatics! Emma Meesseman is ready to reinforce the New York Liberty in their quest to revalidate the WNBA title.
The 2019 WNBA Finals MVP, who hadn’t played in the league since 2022, will join the team this Friday night to face the Connecticut Sun.
“Emma Meesseman’s return to the WNBA is a momentous occasion for our league, and the fact that she has chosen New York for her next chapter says it all,” stated Jonathan Kolb, general manager of the Liberty.
Kolb added that Meesseman is a talented and intelligent player, whose presence elevates the level of the entire team. Her experience and versatility fit perfectly into the squad, which is aiming for the championship in 2025.
Meesseman’s arrival is a great boost for the team, which will have to face some important absences.
- Breanna Stewart will be out for a few weeks due to a bone injury in her right knee.
- Nyara Sabally is also injured in the knee.
- Kennedy Burke is suffering from a strain in her right calf.
Meesseman, who plays in the forward position like Stewart, is 1.93 meters tall.
The Liberty, currently second in the standings with a 17-9 record, have lost three consecutive games. The team is in an intense period with three games in five days, playing twice in Connecticut and then hosting Dallas on Tuesday.
At 32 years old, Meesseman is a two-time All-Star and was key in obtaining the Washington Mystics’ title in 2019. Since her last season in the WNBA, with the Chicago Sky, she has focused on leading the Belgian national team.
Meesseman and Natasha Cloud, newly arrived in New York, played together in Washington when the Mystics won the championship six years ago.
Meesseman led Belgium to win the EuroBasket title last month, qualifying for next year’s World Cup.
Despite Stewart’s temporary absence, the Liberty still have a talented team led by Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, Cloud, and Leonie Fiebich.
In her time away from the WNBA, Meesseman has excelled overseas, being named EuroBasket MVP twice in the last three years. She also helped Belgium reach the medal round at the Paris Olympics.
To make room for Meesseman, the Liberty cut Jaylyn Sherrod from the roster.
“Jaylyn Sherrod is a champion in every sense of the word. She embodies the passion, grit, and perseverance that define New York City,” Kolb said.
