The Liberty have signed two-time All-Star center Stefanie Dolson, bringing in the veteran center after she won both a WNBA title and Olympic gold medal last year.
The team confirmed news of the agreement on Thursday, but did not provide specifics on its terms. The Athletic reported last week the deal was for multiple seasons.
Dolson, 30, will join New York after spending the past five seasons with Chicago. She averaged 10 points and 4.8 rebounds per game for the Sky, starting in 115 of her 133 appearances.
“Stef is the definition of New York tough,” general manager Jonathan Kolb said in a statement. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome her back to her home state as an integral piece of the Liberty’s future success. She is an incredibly talented player, and her experience, toughness and size will only add to our front court.”
It was a busy 2021 for the native of Port Jervis, New York. Dolson took home a WNBA championship with Chicago, and she earned an Olympic gold medal as part of the first U.S. three-on-three basketball team. Dolson was the only player in the league to win both a gold medal and a WNBA title last season.
Dolson, the No. 6 pick in the 2014 WNBA draft, spent the first three seasons of her career with the Mystics before being traded to Chicago.
“Playing in New York is a dream come true,” Dolson said Thursday. “It feels like now is the perfect time in my career to join the Liberty organization as we set our sights on becoming perennial contenders.”
New York went 12–20 last season and lost to Phoenix in the first-round of the playoffs. It fired coach Walt Hopkins in early December and subsequently hired former Mercury coach Sandy Brondello in early January.
