The duo of GM Jonathan Kolb & Head Coach Sandy Brondello put the Big Apple on the women’s basketball map last year. A vision that was born when Kolb took over in 2019, came to fruition last year when the Liberty tasted WNBA ecstasy. While Brondello and Kolb are used to working in tandem now, they were once at odds, competing for the signature of a player they both liked. It was a battle Kolb won, and let’s just say fans are glad he did.
In their first preseason game against the Connecticut Sun, the Liberty welcomed a host of returnees. Among them was Les Bleus’ star Marine Johannes. The star guard put up a team-high 12 points off the bench while dishing out 2 assists. Though the Liberty ended up on the losing side 94-86, it was a comeback that proved Liberty was in good hands. After all, she was one of the first of the stars to believe in the project put forth by the then-new GM, Jonathan Kolb.
When she arrived, the Liberty were considered at their lowest and far away from the glamour of the Barclays Center. But the shy Frenchwoman felt a connection in her first season here. And while COVID coupled with the EuroBasket would keep her from returning the following years, she would eventually return in the 2022 season.
“Jonathan and Ohemaa [Nyanin] did everything for me,” Johannes reminisced of her debut year. “They really helped me, they knew it was my first season overseas, and they did everything for me. They are always asking me how I feel, how I am. So when I came back here, it’s because I feel like I’m really a part of the team… it’s a nice feeling.”
Affectionately dubbed “The Wizard” by fans, her flashy passes and Nowitzki-like 3-pointers would make her a core component of Liberty’s rise. And although Brondello couldn’t sign her, she would join the mission as head coach in 2022, upon which her admiration for the star would only grow.
“I’m a huge fan of Marine,” Brondello said. “I just think the way she plays, her creativity. I think everyone should get a chance to watch it. And she’s great and she’s gonna keep growing bigger and better for us.” Marine would do just that the following season, acting as the driving force for their first WNBA Commissioner’s Cup– her 17-point barrage off the bench would bring home the title. And while they’d fall to the Aces in the Finals, it set them up for the ultimate prize next year.
Starting the 2024 season as favorites, it appeared certain that their first championship was on the cards. A part of the team since their days playing in Westchester County, Marine would, unfortunately, have to forego the season to represent France at the Olympics. As the host nation, there was immense pressure riding on the French basketball team, making every player’s dedication to the cause crucial. “When we were invited to the Elysee Palace with the President, we immediately felt that at the Olympics, it would be a medal or nothing,” said Johannes.
And during the Olympics, she proved to be a pivotal contributor, averaging 11.7 points and 2.2 assists per game, including a remarkable 24-point outburst against Germany in the quarterfinals. France ultimately secured a silver medal.
Upon her confirmed return for the 2025 season, Liberty General Manager Jonathan Kolb expressed his enthusiasm, stating it’s “a special opportunity to add Marine — who believed in our vision since 2019 — to a team once again competing for a title.” After missing out on last year’s exploits, Johannes has joined the party yet again. And as the league has gained significant momentum in her year away from the U.S., fans old and new are in awe of Marine alike.
Fans react to Johannes’ wizardry
Knocking down threes off the catch and dribble, the WNBA made sure to welcome her back on ‘X’. Posting a clip of Johannes making multiple threes against the Sun, it sparked excitement within the Liberty faithful who now believe they’re destined to repeat. The video captioned “Oh how we missed Marine Johannès basketball” got love from the fans who shared the sentiment. “Same. Glad she’s back“ a fan posted on X
The addition of an offensive weapon this deadly to a championship team meant another fan had only three words. “Back to Back” they posted, sending out a short and not-so-sweet message for the rest of the league. And while the Liberty fans were expected to thoroughly enjoy the comeback, a couple of fans from Indiana had high praise for Marine as well, comparing her to the face of women’s basketball. “She look like you know who with that off balance shot,” posted the fan. Although Marine could not face Caitlin Clark due to her absence from the 2024 season, fans have pointed out a similarity in their jumpshots. The one similarity that we’re sure of, they are both going to knock it down.
Unlike Clark, Johannes seems at her best when she can come off the bench and rain down threes. So although Natasha Cloud would be taking that spot, another Indiana fan has made a bold prediction for Marine’s future. “NYL will have 6th player of the year, Marine. Stewie could stink in Finals and still win again B2B.” the fan shared, highlighting the depth in quality the Liberty enjoy.
With Marine coming back to the league, it will also mean the return of her childish antics and laser-guided passes, both of the things fans deeply admire. And if you want to know why Coach Brondello calls her “lightning in a bottle,” head over to the Barclays Center on the 17th of May and you shall have your answers.
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