NY Liberty Re-signs Kia Vaughn and Bria Hartley
The New York Liberty has announced of re-signed restricted free agent guard Bria Hartley and unrestricted free agent center Kia Vaughn, team President Isiah Thomas announced Friday. Per team policy, the terms of the agreements were not disclosed.
“We are excited to have a pair of native New Yorkers in Kia and Bria re-sign with the Liberty,” said New York Liberty head coach Katie Smith. “Kia Vaughn continues to be one of the most consistent centers in the WNBA and was a solid veteran presence in our locker room last season. Bria put her versatility on display every night, playing multiple positions, spending time at both the one and the two, and developing into one of our most consistent scoring threats.”
Vaughn and Hartley will enter their second seasons with the Liberty after being acquired by New York from the Washington Mystics last January. For Vaughn, it is her second stint with her hometown team after playing her first four WNBA seasons with the Liberty, who drafted her No. 8 overall in 2009.
Last year, Vaughn averaged 5.8 ppg and 4.9 rpg, shooting 53.6 percent from the field, appearing in 28 games with 22 starts. She scored a season-high 13 points in a win over the Seattle Storm, a game in which she also hauled in a season-best 11 rebounds for her 1st double-double since 2014.
Hartley enjoyed a tremendous second half of her 2017 campaign, averaging 10.8 ppg and scoring in double figures 12 times over the final 17 games of the season. For the year, she scored 7.8 ppg with 2.1 rpg and 2.1 apg. Hartley made a career-best 37 3-pointers and shot 34.5 percent from long distance.
The Liberty also announced the re-signing of reserve players wing Rebecca Allen and point guard Lindsay Allen.
Rebecca Allen played her first full season with New York last year, appearing in 33 games to average 2.8 ppg and 2.0 rpg. Lindsay Allen appeared in 28 games, averaging 1.9 ppg and 2.2 apg.
The 2018 New York Liberty season tips off on Sunday, May 20, when it faces the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. The 2018 home opener will follow on Friday, May 25, when the Liberty welcomes the defending champion Minnesota Lynx to Westchester County Center.
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