Naismith Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman is today’s guest on Episode 2 of Scoop B Selects Presented by the NBA Retired Players Association.
A pioneer in women’s basketball, Lieberman excelled at every level as a collegiate player at Old Dominion and later as a WNBA player with the Phoenix Mercury and Detroit Shock.
While chatting with Scoop B Selects, Liberman shared why she likes the direction of the WNBA currently. “We’re in such a GREAT place with women’s basketball right now.” shared Lieberman on Scoop B Selects.
“We’ll take the ‘newbies’ and we’ll take the people that have cared about us before , at the moment where it is now and it’s exploding not only in the United States but around the world and people are recognizing our talent and there’s a history to our talent. So as long as the women know that there were women that kind of paved the way before them — and they do and they really appreciate the relationship that we have.”
As a high school junior Lieberman represented the United States at the Pan American Games in 1975. The following year she made the Olympic team, earning a silver medal making her the youngest basketball medal winner in the history of the Olympics. While chatting on Episode 2 of Scoop B Selects, Lieberman reflected on the early days of the WNBA, which she was a part of during their inaugural year in 1997. “The WNBA will forever be an important catalyst in that moment,” she shared.
“I can remember that I was a 39-year old rookie in 1997 and here I am with the Phoenix Mercury we got eliminated in the playoffs and I’m doing the TV for ESPN with the late great John Saunders. And John is in Phoenix and we’re walking around and every two steps, people are like, “Nancy Nancy Nancy!” and John Saunders was blown away. He’s like, “I cannot believe this. This is like walking in the street with MJ!” The fans that rallied around the ‘W’ at that time — not only for me, but for Swoopes and Lisa Leslie and for some of the other great players that were in the league. You could see a shift was happening because little girls when they get excited about soccer, they go bananas. When little girls get excited about basketball or volleyball, they go bananas! The parents follow, the money follows, the fandom follows.”
Caitlin Clark & Angel Reese
As a hooper, Liberman was dynamic. A member of the U.S. Women’s National Team in 1989, the 5’10 point guard’s ability to drive to the hoop, dish out assists and grab hard-fought rebounds served her well during her stellar career. While chatting with Scoop B Selects, Lieberman shares how much she enjoys the game today with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. “I look at Angel Reese today and I look at Catlin Clark today, they’re amazing and they’re doing GREAT things for the game,” she shared.
“It’s not their fault that they’re in this generation. It’s their blessing. And so, we’re just going to have to celebrate them. We’re not going to ‘tolerate’ them.”
Some experts have compared Clark and Reese’s impact on the WNBA to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird’s impact on the NBA during their prime. Johnson has echoed that sentiment on social media when he shared that the two women have the potential to do what they he and Bird did back in the 1980’s.
Add Lieberman to that growing list: “I like it,” she shared on Scoop B Selects.
“I do. I mean, why not? Rivalries are good. You got Martina [Navratilova] and Chris [Evert], right? In any sport, you know? [Muhammad] Ali and Joe Frazier. It just brings fans, you know? There’s people that love Angel and there’s people that love Catlin Clark but both of them together are powerful. And Kamilla Cardoso. There’s a lot of young people that are coming into the game that we saw playing against each other in college and now they’re doing it on the professional level.”
Lakers & Celtics
Post WNBA playing career, Lieberman’s had a solid career as a head coach in The W and as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings. While chatting on Episode 2 of Scoop B Selects, she dished on her thoughts on the current NBA coaching circuit. Lieberman shared that she is impressed with Boston Celtics head coach, Joe Mazzulla. “Joe’s amazing,” she shared.
“He’s disciplined and he understands today’s players. The respect that he has around the league is no joke. A lot of young coaches are aspiring to be like him because he worked his way up and he did a great job, right? He learned from Ime [Udoka]; he learned from Brad Stevens… you have to be willing and open to learn and then apply what you do. So you’re seeing right now that people are going to start saying — I mean, we’re not dinosaurs. We still have intrinsic value of coaches that are older, but if you can blend the youth and energy and the interpersonal skills with young people who are players which is very important, you’re going to see more and more young people like J.J. Reddick got the job with the Lakers because of the relationship he has with LeBron first and foremost and with AD but also with so many other players in this league.”
Lieberman’s high praise for Mazzulla is warranted. Redick’s praise by Lieberman is fair. Redick played 15 seasons in the league and was an outstanding 3-point shooter. Before that, he spent four seasons at Duke University under legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Coincidentally, the Lakers leaned on Coach K’s advice during their coaching search. In his first season as Lakers head coach, Redick inherits a LeBron James-Anthony Davis led team that is accompanied with youth. They’ll lean on Redick’s leadership skills and ability to get his new players to trust, respect and follow him. LA will also have the addition of rookie, Bronny James, son of LeBron James on their roster. Lieberman weighs in on the belief that nepotism and favoritism prevailed in Redick and Bronny’s roles in LA. “If people could become open minded, most people hire people that they know and they feel comfortable with regardless of color, gender,” she shared on Scoop B Selects.
“Everybody that I have been hired by in my life has been men that I’ve known and there was a comfortability. Rich Paul is one of the smartest people that I’ve ever seen. Look at what he’s done in partnership with LeBron James and he has been the big power broker in the NBA. J.J. is now repped by Klutch, so now Rich goes to the Lakers and says, Look. I think this is the guy… I don’t even know if LeBron was involved but I’m sure he was on some level but there was a comfortability and he respects his IQ. If they don’t respect you, they will NOT hire you. And so, is there a game plan? Absolutely there’s a game plan in there. It wasn’t a happenstance that J.J. went there. It’s not a coincidence that the Lakers with the 55th Pick took Bronny James. If I were in that same situation — and Bronny can play… we don’t know what his level is yet, but he CAN play. So it’s not like just throwing your kid out there and giving him a payday; he’s either gonna make it or not make it. But to be able to play with your son, which is historic? I mean, go talk to the Griffey’s and see what that was like. Go see Deion [Sanders] coaching his kids. My son TJ plays for me in the BIG3. I’m sure people are saying, She’s just giving him a spot. Oh he’s just a white kid. She’s just giving her son a payday… So everybody’s going to have an opinion but I would do exactly the same thing that happened in L.A.”
Dallas Mavericks
Not only did Lieberman have a solid playing and coaching career, she’s been solid as a broadcaster by way of ESPN, Fox Sports and Bally Sports Network. Lieberman was a part of Dallas, Texas affiliate ABC Channel 8 during the 2024 NBA Finals and shared that she’s excited for the addition of Klay Thompson on Dallas’ team. “You always have to have someone in the locker room that has a story of winning,” she said.
“Kyrie has won. Now Luka has almost been to the mountaintop and Klay is going to be able to walk in there and tell him what it’s like to win four rings with that team and that dynasty and what they did and how they prepared.”
Lieberman is excited for the impact that she believes that Thompson could have on Luke Doncic in head coach Jason Kidd’s team. “It’s just another person that Luka can learn from and then someone that Luka can share his extraordinary talent with,” she said.
“I’m a huge fan of Kyrie Irving and I think that this is going to be a major piece to help them. He’ll stretch the floor; legit certified scorer, right? I know Derrick Jones Jr. knocked down some threes and PJ Washington knocked down some threes but they’re not Klay, okay? Not to take anything away from them but…. Klay’s going into the Hall of Fame. Shooters shoot and I think he’s going to be a great addition to the Mavericks and what Nico did with Gafford and bringing in PJ, they’re set up for success for the next 4-5 years.”
You can watch all of Episode 2 of Scoop B Selects with Nancy Lieberman by clicking here.
