Liberty's Jocelyn Willoughby Earns WNBA Community Assist Award

Willoughby earned some postseason hardware after finishing up her second season with the New York Liberty.

The WNBA announced this week that Jocelyn Willoughby of the New York Liberty was named the August recipient of the league's WNBA Cares Community Assist Award.

Willoughby, who just wrapped up her second full season in New York, earned the award, as described in a league statement, "for her commitment to challenging racial and economic injustices, and providing resources to help vulnerable individuals in New York and society at large."

Injuries have plagued Willoughby's professional career after the 10th overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft arrived in New York through a draft night trade with Phoenix. Her 11-game return this season, one plagued by a knee injury, came after she was forced to miss the entire 2021 due to a torn left Achilles tendon sustained in a preseason scrimmage.

Those ailments haven't stopped her from remaining active in the Brooklyn community, as her outreach has centered upon "education, food insecurity, and equal housing opportunities." Willoughby has also partaken in several youth basketball activities with Breakaway Hoops as well as outreach with the Vera Institute of Justice, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that fights mass incarceration among other causes. 

In her second season with the Liberty, which included four starts, Willoughby averaged 2.6 points and 1.6 rebounds. She played a major role in the Liberty's opening night win over Connecticut, putting in 13 points in her return to a game court in nearly two full calendar years. 

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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