Liberty Rookie Becomes Surprise Closer
It's said that practice makes perfect, but don't tell New York Liberty rookie Leonie Fiebich.
Fiebich's opening WNBA stanzas have been a trial by fire ... literally, if one acknowledges the torch that heralds the on-court entry of the Liberty's starting five. Denied a trip to training camp by the completion of international duties, Fiebich is perhaps still at a point where she has spent more time on the event level at Barclays Center than its practice court.
"The more minutes I get on the court, the more comfortable I get, I think. I'm just happy to help the team wherever I can," Fiebich noted. "I'm just trying to bring consistency off the bench in what I do, fill the gaps, play defense ... offensively, I try to move the ball, shoot the ball well, make reads off the other players."
"Just more reps make me comfortable, honestly," Fiebich continued. "I got here, I had two practices, and then we started the season. I've played more than we've practiced! So I'm using every shootaround to get ready for the games. There are many players on the other team that I haven't played against so I'm just trying to get ready for that in scouting. Getting reps with the starters, that really helps."
Fiebich's WNBA debuts might get lost amidst the hype of a downright legendary draft class but she's certainly leaving a lasting impression among New Yorkers: even before absences among the Liberty's assembly of All-Stars (i.e. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Courtney Vandersloot) led to a Fiebich field promotion into the torch-heralded opening lineup, she has already become an unexpected mainstay Brooklyn's finishing five.
Since June 1, Fiebich is averaging 7.4 minutes in the fourth quarter, third-best among W freshmen behind only the touted Angel Reese (8.8) and Caitlin Clark (8.6). Fiebich is also third in rookie scoring in the period (3.8) and leads all in plus/minus (2.1) in that same span. To top it all off, Fiebich is tied for sixth for best fourth quarter defensive rating in June among those with a minimum of five games and average minutes played.
"I think it's trust from my teammates, trust from the coaching staff ... I'm really thankful for the trust they have in me," Fiebich said to All Knicks when it comes to what fuels her fourth fury. "I pride myself on defense, that's one of my qualities and then I can shoot the three. I think I'm versatile on offense, I think I can do whatever the team needs."
The Liberty banked on a year of collaboration amongst its all stars as being a bit of a difference as they seek to take the final step toward an elusive WNBA championship. While that faith has been rewarded to the tune of a league-best 15-3 record, history has often shown that such groups often get that final push from their second units.
With Fiebich headlining a revamped bench (perhaps the second woman to come off behind established sixth Kayla Thornton once things go back to normal in the starting five), this new kind of gambit is paying off.
"Big Leo, we always knew she had talent, but it's not easy for a new player to come into a new system with all these players," head coach Sandy Brondello said of Fiebich, an overseas MVP before her American entry. "But Leo's a baller. She's been in professional basketball for such a long time. I think that experience playing over in Spain and then with her country Germany helps. She's got high IQ and figuring it out on the fly, making use of the practice we do have ... she can see it and put it into the game immediately. I think there's another level we can get to for sure."
Time will tell if and how Fiebich's role will change now that the Liberty are inching back toward full strength: Laney-Hamilton and Vandersloot's respective returns salvaged an unsuccessful Commissioner's Cup defense on Tuesday and they've had just about a week to get back into the swing of things before coming back to Barclays Center on Sunday afternoon.
Fiebich, however, is enthused by the continued prospect of facing off against accomplished teammates now and later, all while knowing that her efforts have allowed the Liberty to outpace the rest of the WNBA's finest in this relatively early going.
"I'm just getting to know my teammates better, where they like to play, where they want the balls and just which kind of action I can play off of them," Fiebich said. "I think that really helps us all together on the court. I just like to bring energy, honestly. I think that helps the team."
In the weekend closer, New York faces the Atlanta Dream for the third time this season (1 p.m. ET, ESPN). Fiebich has done reasonably well in the first two meetings, earning a combined 17 points, seven assists, and 13 rebounds (including a career-best nine in the first get-together on June 6).
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI
Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks