Due to the Expansion Draft, WNBA franchises are now scrutinising every tiny detail of which direction they wish to guide their team's future. Fortunately for the New York Liberty, their championship window should stay open as star players Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart will not need protecting due to their ineligibility for selection.
Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement—which could be subject to change depending on ongoing negotiations—expansion teams cannot draft unrestricted free agents who have already exhausted their two-year core eligibility. This core eligibility allows WNBA franchises to protect an asset they deem integral to their future ambition. If this occurs, the team must offer said player a one-year super-max contract.
Both Jones and Stewart are currently unrestricted free agents and have been cored twice, which will prevent the duo from being selected by the new expansion franchises, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire.
Which players should the Liberty protect for the 2026 Expansion Draft?
Sabrina Ionescu: After being selected as New York's first overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, Sabrina Ionescu has been exceptional for the franchise, leading them to their first championship in 2024. There are few more deadly guards than Ionescu, who is now recognised as one of the greatest three-point shooters the league has ever witnessed. There is no doubt that the Oregon graduate is the past, present, and future of the Liberty.
Natasha Cloud: New York secured Natasha Cloud in a shrewd trade with the Connecticut Sun in 2025, bolstering an already impressive roster. The Liberty front office clearly believed that Cloud would enhance their chances of success in the future, as evidenced by their decision to give up their seventh overall pick in the 2025 draft and their future 2026 pick. To pivot on Cloud this early in her tenure would be surprising.
Leonie Fiebich: The German international has proved to be an effective role player for the Liberty since being acquired by the franchise in 2024, and played an important part in its assault on the WNBA championship. Given that Leonie Fiebich is still a developing prospect at the ripe old age of 25, New York will most likely protect her from selection.
Marine Johannes: Another player who has proven to contribute positively from a less prominent role in the rotation is Marine Johannes. The 30-year-old guard did not have her highest output in terms of statistics in 2025, but still featured 44 times for the Liberty, proving that her efforts are appreciated by the franchise.
Emma Meesseman: Despite choosing to play in Europe over the W for three years, Emma Meesseman has proven herself to still be a capable WNBA big after her performances for the Liberty. Meesseman returned to the league as a replacement for the injured Breanna Stewart, establishing herself as a presence in the paint for both scoring and rebounding. Both Toronto and Portland would be desperate to sign a player of this calibre.
Players left unprotected: Kennedy Burke, Raquel Carrera, Ivana Dojkic, Marine Fauthoux, Rebekah Gardner, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Isabelle Harrison, Adja Kane, Seehia Ridard, Nyara Sabally, Annika Soltau, Stephanie Talbot, and Han Xu.