Good news! All-time NY Liberty player Marine Johannes has announced her marriage to the all-time player in Memphis Tigers men’s basketball.
In the WNBA, the New York Liberty are presently vying for the final playoff spot. Although the last two weeks’ NYL material has mostly focused on their chances of making the playoffs, I think there is another, more fascinating side to the squad that doesn’t get enough attention. Marine Johannes is that aspect.
Johannes is averaging 9.7 points this season. 1.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and an amazing 41.5% three-point shooting percentage. Her statistical influence is already quite remarkable. She is undoubtedly a “great,” but like many greats, her influence extends far beyond the stat sheet.
After completing her second season in the WNBA, Johannes is giving notice to the league. In 2019, Johannes was selected by Liberty.
but due to past commitments to overseas teams and the COVID pandemic, I missed the 2021 and 2022 seasons. As the first guard off the bench for the Liberty, Johannes typically took Crystal Dangerfield’s spot. Don’t be fooled, even though she comes off the bench. In this league, Marine Johannes is a starter.
The promptness of Johannes’ buckets is one of the things that makes her so valuable to Liberty. The majority of the offensive for the Liberty normally comes from Sabrina Ionescu, but when she falters, the team may find it difficult to locate a spark plug. Here’s where Johannes really shines. Off the bench, she consistently packs a scoring punch for the Liberty and often scores in bursts that energize the team.
The Liberty started the season’s final game against the Atlanta Dream slowly, falling behind by 10 points in the first quarter. Johannes entered the game late in the first quarter and made four straight three-pointers to give Liberty the lead and the motivation they needed to fight.
In addition to her scoring, she does a fantastic job of setting up the attack when Ionescu isn’t playing. It’s remarkable that she averages 3.4 assists on just 25 mpg, especially considering that she ranks third in command ball handlers after Ionescu and Dangerfield. When they play pick and roll, she and Natasha Howard click well, and she makes easy baskets for Stephanie Dolson by playing aggressively and downhill.
