Liberty lose key piece in Kayla Thornton

Forward taken by Golden State in expansion draft

December 11, 2024 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Kayla Thornton helped Brooklyn celebrate its first WNBA title in October. Now, she's off to San Francisco with the league's new expansion franchise. AP Photo by Pamela Smith

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Less than two months ago, Kayla Thornton gave the New York Liberty 21 strong minutes off the bench in the fifth and decisive game of the WNBA Finals.

Now, she’s moving on to the Bay Area as one of the founding pieces of the Golden State Valkyries following her selection in last week’s expansion draft.

“AM BEYOND BLESSED AND THANKFUL FOR IT ALL,” Thornton posted on Instagram. “I CLOSE ONE CHAPTER AND ENTER INTO MY NEXT ONE. TO MY NEW TEAM AND CITY.”

Thornton will wave goodbye to Brooklyn with a championship ring on her finger and plenty of memories from her time here in Downtown Brooklyn.

She’ll be sorely missed.

“It is incredibly difficult to say goodbye to a player like KT who contributed to the New York Liberty in so many ways over these past two years, including our franchise’s first-ever championship,” said New York general manager Jonathan Kolb in a team-issued statement.

Thornton, a nine-year veteran of the best women’s basketball league in the world, arrived on the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush during Kolb’s legendary 2023 offseason haul.

Desperately seeking Title I, the Liberty brought in a pair of former league Most Valuable Players, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart, as well as future Hall of Fame point guard Courtney Vandersloot.

Thornton had spent the previous six years in Dallas. She played her rookie campaign with Washington after signing with the Mystics as a non-drafted free agent in 2015.

She may have come in a bit under the radar as New York built its “Superteam”, but the 6-foot-1 University of Texas-El Paso alum was an ever-present force in New York’s rotation and a Barclays Center favorite.

Thornton participated in all 80 regular-season games for the Liberty during her two campaigns here, starting 11 when coach Sandy Brondello’s lineup was hamstrung by injury.

The 32-year-old forward averaged 5.0 points and 3.1 rebounds during her stay here, but more importantly, she was always willing to put a body up against an opponent’s top scorer and take a big shot when it was needed.

Last season, Thornton shot a career-best 35.7 percent from 3-point range, making her even more attractive to a first-year franchise like Golden State, which needs a veteran leader to begin its WNBA journey.

Veteran forward Kayla Thornton helped drive New York past Minnesota in Game 5 of last year’s WNBA Finals. AP Photo by Abbie Parr

Kolb knew what he was getting when he brought Thornton to Brooklyn, but gushed on about her after her departure became official last Friday.

“KT quickly became an indelible part of the Liberty family during her two seasons here.” he noted before revealing that Barclays will host a night in her honor when the Valkyries visit during the first month of the 2025 season.

“We look forward to celebrating her on May 27 during her return to Barclays Center with open arms where she’ll receive her well-earned championship ring,” Kolb revealed.

Thornton’s stat line for New York’s title-clinching Game 5 win on Oct. 20 may not look impressive — she finished with two points, two boards, a steal and a blocked shot while committing five personal fouls — but the 67-62 overtime triumph against Minnesota wouldn’t have been possible without her.

“We want to find players that, when the lights are the brightest and the stakes are at the highest, they’re gonna shine and be ready for it,” Kolb exclaimed during the Liberty’s championship celebration at City Hall.

“You saw Kayla Thornton come in this game and do what she did, which we know she can do.”

Jones, who chased a championship for six years in Connecticut only to lose a pair of Finals before dropping another with New York in 2023, bid a heartfelt farewell to Thornton.

“I’m going to miss you so much sis, but you know the jersey doesn’t change the sisterhood! Continue to be you and shine in the Golden State,” the 2024 Finals MVP posted on her Instagram.

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Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, seen here during October’s championship parade, had a successful procedure on her right thumb last week. AP Photo by Yuki Iwamura

All-Star Liberty sharpshooter Sabrina Ionescu revealed that she had a procedure performed on her right thumb last week to repair an ulnar collateral ligament.

The Olympic gold medalist and two-time Wooden Award winner has already begun to rehab the injury, which helped explain her uncharacteristic 1-for-19 shooting performance in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals.

The surgery, performed last Friday by Dr. Steven S. Shin, according to the Associated Press, coincided with Ionescu’s 27th birthday.

“Getting my thumb fixed was quite the bday present,” Ionescu jabbed on her social media account.

The 5-foot-11 guard only managed five points in the historic victory, but did contribute eight assists, seven rebounds, a pair of steals and a key blocked shot in the extra session.

Ionescu, who averaged 16.9 points during the Finals, is expected to resume basketball activities in a month.