Natasha Cloud arrived in Brooklyn two weeks before WNBA training camp opened on Sunday and adapted to her new home.
She met staff and teammates, learned about Liberty’s schedule and embraced the championship mentality that inevitably puts the facility.
“It’s almost refreshing,” Cloud said Sunday. “There’s not much to be short of. There’s no complacent. They understand that they won last year, but now they understand that pressure is the privilege to do it again.
Cloud always thought that one day she would fit freely.
But she didn’t imagine what this offseason would turn out like.
Other similarities in January, Cloud spoke about recruiting Satau’s recruitment to Phoenix Mercury. But more than two weeks later, Cloud was dealt with Connecticut Sun as part of the four-team trade that sent Severly to Phoenix.
Cloud was long enough to know in this business that “can suck and not always benefit us as players.”
The Sun was a massive departure location this offseason.
All five starters from the 2024 team who made it to the semi-finals have disappeared. Connecticut wasn’t anywhere, not wanting to spend the season with a nine-year veteran at the backend of his career.
“It was that kind of situation for everyone,” Cloud said.
Cloud told her agent that she wanted to play for freedom.
The Sun declined the first trade proposal of freedom. In the end, Libs scored two first round picks, including No. 7 of this year’s draft.
In the past few months, it may not have been what Cloud had expected.
Cloud was told she was going to retire as a member of Mercury, but that didn’t happen. Her patience was tested.
Eventually, Cloud got what she wanted. It’s an opportunity to compete for another championship.
“I got mad during the offseason and I use everything as fuel for my fire,” Cloud said. “I understand what we already had as an organization here, and I could add to it. So, every night, whatever I give everything, I give it everything. I care about freedom being on my chest.
Breanna Stewart was a limited attendee to Sunday practice after performing a cleanup procedure on her knee last month.
She will be integrated into more live action next week. Her status on May 9th, the team’s preseason opening game, is unknown.
