The New York Liberty, who stumbled at the end of the 2021 season, made a coaching change Monday, removing Walt Hopkins.
The team announced on Twitter, “The New York Liberty has initiated a search for a new head coach, following a decision by Walt Hopkins & management to part ways. We thank Walt for his spirit & commitment over the last two seasons, in which the team developed 3 WNBA All-Rookie Team members & Rookie of the Year.”
The Liberty were 10-9 midway through the season before dropping 11 of their last 13 regular-season games. Included in that stretch was an eight-game losing streak.
The skid left New York with the eighth and final playoff seed, and the Liberty lost 83-82 to the Phoenix Mercury in an opening-round postseason elimination game.
Hopkins, 36, completed two seasons as the Liberty’s head coach, having posted a 2-20 record in 2020. He previously was as assistant coach for the Lynx from 2017-19, helping Minnesota win the WNBA championship in 2017.
The Liberty have failed to gel despite selecting college basketball player of the year Sabrina Ionescu with the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2020 and then landing eventual 2021 WNBA Rookie of the Year Michaela Onyenwere with the No. 6 overall pick this year.
–Field Level Media
