Teresa Weatherspoon Adds New Title To Her NY Liberty Resume

By Luis Vazquez

Teresa Weatherspoon, NY Liberty (Twitter)

Teresa Weatherspoon, NY Liberty (Twitter)

There are many people in the WNBA who hold positions that either are not completely defined or clear as to the role it plays in a franchise’s success on the court. Teresa Weatherspoon is not one of those. In fact, her hands on approach to teaching impressed the New York Liberty long before she even had a title in the organization.

Her resume speaks for itself. The four-time WNBA All-Star guard and 1988 Olympic basketball champion was a league pioneer who led the New York Liberty to three WNBA Finals in their first four years. But her penchant for giving over receiving which is embedded in WNBA records as a two-time league and all-time Liberty assist leader is as strong now at 51 years old as it was back in her heyday. Spoon’s work with Sugar Rodgers and Brittney Boyd stands out but she has made all the Liberty better players with her one-on-one instruction and input through scouting and player moves.

As long as her effectiveness has been displayed, word got back to the Liberty, who started off by bringing her into the organization last year as Director of Player Development. The winning attitude head coach Bill Laimbeer proclaims is represented by the presence of Weatherspoon, who is a significant reason for the last two winning seasons. Fittingly, team president Isiah Thomas has rewarded Teresa with an additional title as a director of franchise management (joining Swin Cash).

NY Liberty logo“Teresa (Witherspoon) is synonymous with the New York Liberty, she is one of the brightest stars to ever play in the WNBA, and it’s invaluable to be able to have her impact our franchise in a significant way on and off the court,” Thomas said, “Her efforts have transformed our play on the court, and bringing her unprecedented experience and expertise to our front office decision making will only serve to help our team grow and reach new heights.”

Weatherspoon in return humbly accepted the offer to expand on her role with the franchise and thanked Thomas for the shot to exert an even greater influence as an elder legend of note.

“I love working closely with our players, helping them enhance their game on the court, and am excited to be given the opportunity to work with our front office and team business staff at Madison Square Garden,” Weatherspoon said.

Teresa and the rest of the New York Liberty hierarchy are leaving no stones unturned as they look to complete the attire of this smart business suit with the only thing missing, a championship ring, something Weatherspoon pursued to the limits as a player and now as a front court icon, has not stopped striving for.

Luis Vazquez is a freelance contributor to the Bronx Chronicle.

 

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