Liberty heartwarmingly honor Natasha Cloud's 1st Player of the Week nod
The post Liberty heartwarmingly honor Natasha Cloud's 1st Player of the Week nod appeared first on ClutchPoints.
When Natasha Cloud was traded to the New York Liberty from the Connecticut Sun, fans were upset. The defending WNBA champions, led by an All-WNBA duo of Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu added another premier player to their lineup. Head coach Sandy Brondello has made the most of it, guiding New York to a 4-0 start to the season.
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Cloud was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for her great start to the year. Throughout the opening week of the season, Cloud averaged 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game. Her all-around play has fit well next to Ionescu in Brondello's backcourt.
The Liberty took the time to honor Cloud's efforts with a special video shared with her teammates in New York's locker room. Brondello congratulated the veteran guard on her recognition, shocked that this is the first time the 33-year-old has ever won the award.
Cloud's award and the team's undefeated start is the first step on their journey for back-to-back championships. A'ja Wilson led the Las Vegas Aces to consecutive championships in 2022 and 2023, but the Liberty prevented the three-peat last year. Now, Stewart and Co. hope to bring another trophy back to New York.
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One of the bigger questions the Liberty needed to address this offseason centered around their backcourt. Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot were great offensively, but struggled on the other end of the floor. They solved the problem by trading Vandersloot to the Chicago Sky and bringing in Cloud from the Sun.
Since her arrival, Cloud's playmaking and ball-handling has made life easier for Ionescu and Stewart. The former Sun guard has thrived with her new team, both on the court and in practice. They have embraced their newest addition and everything she brings to the team.
If the Liberty do secure back-to-back titles, Cloud's effort could be a big reason why. For now, the team is content celebrating their point guard's Player of the Week award to kick off the 2025 season.
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