NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 3, 2017 – The New York Liberty announced today that it has signed point guard Chelsea Hopkins.
Hopkins joins rookie point guard Lindsay Allen as a roster addition due to guard Epiphanny Prince and center Kia Vaughn taking temporary leaves from the team in order to fulfill national team duties for the 2017 FIBA EuroBasket Women Tournament. Prince is a naturalized citizen of Russia, and Vaughn for the tournament’s host country the Czech Republic. New York won its first game without Prince and Vaugh, defeating the Dallas Wings 93-89 on Friday night at The Garden.
The 2017 EuroBasket Women Tournament is a qualifier for the 2018 FIBA World Championships. It opens with group play on June 16, and runs through June 25.
Hopkins is a 2nd-year guard, who signed a training camp contract with the Liberty in 2015, and was in the Los Angeles Sparks training camp this season. She appeared in four games with the San Antonio Stars as a rookie in 2013, averaging 1.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, and 2.5 apg.
Hopkins was an Honorable Mention All-American at San Diego State University, and the 2013 Great Mountain West Player of the Year. She has spent the past two seasons playing for Maccabi Ramat in Israel, helping guide her team to the league championship series this spring, averaging 14.3 ppg, and a league-leading 8.4 apg.
The New York Liberty continues a five-game home stand at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, June 4, when it hosts the Phoenix Mercury at 3:00 PM.