Liberty Boosted by Signing of Meesman
The Liberty’s consecutive attempts at WNBA championships just received a significant boost.
Emma Meesman, an acclaimed international basketball forward and a former WNBA Finals MVP, has reached an agreement to join the Liberty, as confirmed by Madelyn Kenney from the Post on Monday.
Interestingly, Meesman had the option to sign with the Lynx and Mercury, two other top-ranking teams in the league.
The Belgian player is slated to arrive in Brooklyn pending the completion of her visa process. The Liberty is set to kick off the second half of their season against Kate Rinkler Cress Fever at Barclays Center on Tuesday night.
Although the specifics of the contract haven’t been made public, the Liberty does have the payroll flexibility to offer Meesman a maximum professional contract.
With the addition of Meesman, the team will need to make adjustments to their roster after bringing in Stephanie Talbot as the 12th player earlier on Monday.
Aged 32, Meesman has an impressive career. She’s a two-time WNBA All-Star and played a crucial role in securing the Mystics’ championship title in 2019, alongside Natasha Cloud.
During her last WNBA season in 2022, she averaged 12.4 points, with shooting splits of 57.1% from the field, 34.2% from three-point range, and 88.7% from the free throw line. She also recorded 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals, showcasing her talents as a versatile 6-foot-4 playmaker who can defend various positions on the court.
Meesman has also represented Belgium on a global stage, where the national team finished fourth in the last Olympics. This complements her impressive professional resume in Europe, where she has played alongside Liberty stars Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.
“There’s a void that she can fill,” said Stewart earlier this month when discussing Meesman’s free agency. “I really think she should join us.”
This agreement comes at a crucial time, as the Liberty eagerly anticipate the return of starting center Jones, who has been recovering from a right ankle sprain for over a month.
