The New York Liberty announced Friday they have re-signed Marine Johannès, who previously played for the team in 2019, 2022, and 2023.
Johannès, a 5’10 guard, helped lead the French National Team to a Silver medal finish against Team USA in the 2024 Paris Games. She sat out the 2024 WNBA season in order to fulfill her national team obligations, but was widely expected to return to the WNBA this Spring.
In an official press release, Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb expressed his enthusiasm for the signing.
“It is a special opportunity to add Marine – who believed in our vision since 2019 – to a team once again competing for a title,” Kolb said. “Marine’s floor spacing and dynamic ability to create scoring opportunities for herself and others will add another dimension to our offense in 2025.”
Johannès made an impression in the 2023 Finals when she hit four first-half threes in Game 1 between the Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces. NBA star LeBron James, who attended the game, turned to social media to express his awe for Johannès’s performance.
In her three-year WNBA career, she has averaged 8 points, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 rebounds per game — shooting 43.7% from the field, 39.5% from three, and 80.6% at the free throw line.
What Marine Johannès brings to the New York Liberty
Currently, she’s a member of the Turkish club Çimsa ÇBK Mersin, where she’s averaging 13.6 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.5 boards on 46.7% shooting, including 36.7% from beyond the arc.
The Liberty will look to defend their franchise-first title, and have most of their key pieces from last year on the roster next season. Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones will lead the charge, while breakout rookie Leonie Fiebich is expected to once again be a major contributor. In addition, the Liberty recently acquired veteran two-way guard Natasha Cloud via trade.
Johannès will likely come off the bench, where she is poised to give the Liberty a shooting punch and can help space the floor. At age 30, she’s played in countless big games both in the WNBA and overseas, and will likely be an important rotation player come playoff time.
The Liberty lost two key players from last year’s championship roster — Courtney Vandersloot to the Chicago Sky via free agency, and Kayla Thornton to the Golden State Valkyries via the expansion draft. While Cloud will undoubtedly shoulder some of the playmaking that was lost with Vandersloot’s departure, Johannès will similarly bolster the Liberty’s rotation next season.
