Emma Meesseman’s Candid Callout of Liberty’s Struggles
Emma Meesseman hasn’t even been with the New York Liberty for two weeks, yet she’s already made it clear she’s not here to tiptoe around problems. Following an 83–71 loss to the Minnesota Lynx — the team’s second defeat to last year’s runners-up — Meesseman delivered a blunt assessment. In her view, the Liberty didn’t lose because of missing players or superior talent on the other side; they lost because they beat themselves.
The one-time WNBA Finals MVP pointed to a lack of hustle, sloppy execution, and an overall absence of focus. Minnesota simply played harder and with more intent. In the second half, when the Lynx challenged the Liberty’s toughness, the defending champions faltered, committing 13 of their 20 turnovers during that stretch — many of them completely avoidable.
Also Read:For Meesseman, the fix isn’t complicated. “It’s fundamentals, really,” she explained. “Pass to the open side, be on the same page, cut with purpose. Maybe it’s not bad to just go back to the basics — the things you learn as a kid.” Despite the Liberty being without Breanna Stewart, Kennedy Burke, and Nyara Sabally, Meesseman refused to blame injuries. She believes that no matter who’s on the floor, hustle and discipline can’t be compromised. And hustle, she said, isn’t something you can practice — it’s something you bring.
At 32, Meesseman knows what a championship-caliber team looks like. She’s won one before and has also been part of a squad that fell short despite having the pieces. Her own experience with the Chicago Sky’s 2022 title defense — which ended in an unexpected semifinal exit — gives her perspective on how quickly opportunities can vanish.
Still, she’s easing into her new environment, studying her teammates’ tendencies and figuring out what each player needs. But her track record speaks for itself, and she’s already recognized the Liberty’s bad habit of letting opponents dictate the pace after halftime. On Sunday, they started the third quarter aggressively, just as planned. But when Minnesota responded with a run, New York lost momentum and never fully recovered.
Currently tied for second in the league with a 20–11 record, the Liberty trail the league-leading Lynx by 6½ games with 13 to play. The gap for the top seed might be too wide to close, so health and readiness for the playoffs are now the main focus. But Meesseman’s warning is clear: no playoff seed will matter if the Liberty can’t maintain discipline and fight for four full quarters.
As she put it, “In this league, nothing’s going to happen by itself. You have to keep forcing it, demand from each other to play hard and stay disciplined.” It’s a message the Liberty would do well to take to heart — and quickly — if they plan on defending their title.
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