It’s been practically a month for the reason that Liberty and their followers needed to say goodbye to Kayla Thornton — the crew’s do-it-all glue participant who left all the things on the courtroom every night time.
The addition of the WNBA’s thirteenth and latest franchise — the Golden State Valkyries — just about ensured the reigning champion Liberty had been going to lose a coveted rotation participant within the enlargement draft. That uneasy feeling grew to become a actuality on Dec. 6 when Thornton grew to become one in every of 11 gamers chosen to type the muse of the Valkyries’ inaugural roster.
The participant that arrived in Brooklyn from the Dallas Wings as a “throw-in” — a untimely evaluation rapidly confirmed false — as a part of a three-team deal centered round 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones was a continuing contributor throughout the Liberty’s two current Finals runs.
Well timed sharpshooting. All-out diving performs for free balls. Fixed rotational modifications with out complaints.
She supplied all of that for head coach Sandy Brondello in 2023 and throughout the franchise’s first-ever championship run in 2024.
Thornton is now gone. However listed here are a few of her most interesting moments throughout the 2024 championship-winning marketing campaign.
KT THE SHARPSHOOTER
Thornton’s biggest taking pictures night time of her nine-year WNBA profession got here in a Liberty jersey on June 22, when she knocked down a career-high six three-pointers in a win towards the Los Angeles Sparks. She missed only one try and completed 7-of-8 total for 20 factors, a degree shy of her career-high.
“Her name is Ka-Three-La,” All-Star teammate Breanna Stewart mentioned following the win.
The three-and-D veteran credited her spacing on the night time of the barrage, benefitted from the Sparks’ gravity shifting in direction of Stewart and Jones.
And naturally, the dagger within the fourth quarter got here on a play the Barclays Heart crowd received used to seeing the previous two years: a Thornton nook trey proper in entrance of the opponent’s bench.
KT COMES THROUGH ON SHORT NOTICE
Brondello might virtually assure getting a elevate from Thornton all through the season. And within the midst of accidents and a six-game stretch in 10 days (together with 5 Commissioner’s Cup matchups), the top coach received precisely what she wanted.
Brondello knowledgeable Thornton she would get the beginning towards a hungry Washington Mystics crew seeking to play spoiler on Might 31 simply hours earlier than tip-off rather than Courtney Vandersloot (again).
What Thornton gave the Liberty was 20 factors, 4 assists and 5 steals in 34 minutes, a season-high. She basically performed second possibility on an evening Sabrina Ionescu led the best way with a game-high 24 factors and Stewart was inefficient (4-of-13 from the sector).
And precisely when the Liberty wanted the ultimate knockout blow, Thornton got here by way of like a high possibility: She drained her fourth trey of the night time with 2:06 remaining in regulation to place the Libs up seven then intercepted Washington’s Julie Vanloo’s cross 10 seconds later. Win secured.
These type of performances allowed to Liberty to win tight video games whereas shorthanded, a key for a crew that completed the common season 32-8 and with the No. 1 total seed.
THE TUNNEL PLAY
That is the second that may undoubtedly be featured in a tribute video throughout Thornton’s first go to to Barclays Heart subsequent 12 months as a member of the Valkyries on Might 27. And Liberty followers will give her a standing ovation similar to they did after this all-out hustle play within the ultimate minutes of a win towards the Chicago Sky on July 11.
With Chicago trying a comeback, Jones’ turnover led to a quick break alternative for Chicago’s Lindsey Allen. However Thornton had different plans.
Thornton — with the quickness of a sprinter — chased down Allen from the backcourt and deflected Chennedy Carter’s cross that might’ve led to a layup on the rim. Thornton — nonetheless with full momentum — then needed to assume quick operating full pace in direction of the baseline lined with followers and cameramen. She hopped over one cameraman and averted the primary row of followers as her pace led her into the darkness of the Barclays Heart tunnel toes away from the hardwood.
No hurt, no foul.
Followers erupted as Thornton reappeared beneath the brilliant lights, appreciating the second they only witnessed from a participant prepared to go all-out for a win.
“I loved it. It was off of my turnover too so I loved it even more,” Jones mentioned. “She got back there and saved me.”
NOT-SO SHORTHANDED
Each crew within the WNBA will get hampered with accidents. The good groups have gamers on reserve to reduce the burden. And Thornton did precisely that by slotting into the beginning lineup 11 instances all through the 2024 season because the Liberty handled a number of DNPs: Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (knee), Nyara Sabally (again), Vandersloot (again, private causes).
The Liberty went undefeated in 5 Commissioner’s Cup qualification video games whereas Thornton totaled +17 in 73 complete minutes in three of these begins.
She completed one level shy of her career-high (21 factors with the Dallas Wings in 2022) in begins towards the Mystics on Might 31 and Sparks on June 22.
And in these 11 begins, the Liberty solely misplaced twice: a six-point defeat to the Phoenix Mercury on June 18 and the loss within the Commissioner’s Cup Title Recreation towards the Minnesota Lynx on June 25.
