New York Liberty Common Supervisor Jonathan Kolb is the 2023 WNBA Basketball Govt of the Yr. Kolb, in his fifth 12 months as Common Supervisor, earned the dignity for the primary time. He’s the primary New York govt to win the award.
“Serving because the Common Supervisor for the New York Liberty has been a dream realized for me, and I bear the burden of this function with immense accountability and gratitude. Witnessing our followers rally behind this workforce has been unimaginable, and I can’t wait to see the place this journey takes us,” Kolb mentioned in an announcement.
The voting panel that decides the award consists of one basketball govt from every WNBA workforce. Kolb and Dallas Wings President, Chief Govt Officer, and Companion Greg Bibb had essentially the most votes (eight every). Kolb, who obtained six first-place votes, received the award by incomes essentially the most whole factors (20). Bibb completed with 15 factors. Connecticut Solar Common Supervisor Darius Taylor (5 ballots) was in third.
The No. 2-seeded Liberty will tip off its first-round playoff collection in opposition to the No. 7-seeded Washington Mystics tomorrow night time at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Word from the league’s launch:
- New York completed with the second-best document within the WNBA (32-8) within the common season and posted a .800 profitable share, the very best determine within the franchise’s 27 seasons and an enchancment from its .444 mark (16-20) in 2022. The Liberty additionally received the championship recreation of the 2023 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup.
- Forward of the 2023 season, Kolb accomplished a three-team commerce with the Solar and Wings in January, buying 2021 Most Useful Participant Jonquel Jones from Connecticut and veteran ahead Kayla Thornton from Dallas. In February, Kolb signed free brokers Breanna Stewart, a two-time WNBA champion and the 2018 MVP, and Courtney Vandersloot, additionally a WNBA champion and a five-time All-WNBA Workforce choice.
- Kolb signed three key Liberty gamers to contract extensions throughout the 2023 common season, with 2022 All-WNBA Workforce choice and record-setting 2023 WNBA 3-Level Contest champion Ionescu, 2021 All-Star Betnijah Laney and Thornton agreeing to multi-year extensions by means of the 2025 season.
Earlier WNBA Basketball Govt of the Yr Winners
- 2022 James Wade, Chicago Sky
- 2021 Dan Padover, Las Vegas Aces
- 2020 Dan Padover, Las Vegas Aces
- 2019 Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota Lynx
- 2018 Chris Sienko, Atlanta Dream
- 2017 Curt Miller, Connecticut Solar