Jonathan Kolb is entering his sixth season as General Manager of the New York Liberty, where he oversees all aspects of the organization’s basketball operations.
On September 14, 2023, Kolb was named WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year after constructing the winningest team in the original franchise’s 27-year history that won the 2023 Commissioner’s Cup, finished the regular season at 32-8, and made its first WNBA Finals appearance since 2002.
Ahead of the 2023 season, Kolb became the first GM in WNBA history to acquire three All-Stars from the season prior, including two MVPs, adding Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, and Courtney Vandersloot. Stewart went on to earn her second career MVP Award in her debut season with New York. Additionally, Jonathan drafted two-time WNBA All-Star, Sabrina Ionescu, with the first No. 1 selection in team history.
Kolb joined the Liberty in 2019 after working in the WNBA league office for five years, most recently serving as the Director of Basketball Strategy and Analytics. In the role, he oversaw the management of the league’s roster and salary cap and assisted with collective bargaining agreement compliance. Kolb also assisted in the streamlining of the league’s statistical monitoring systems, focusing on the potential on-court impact of proposed rule changes.
Kolb is a native of Arizona with an undergraduate degree from Arizona State University in Justice Studies, Business and Political Science. Additionally, he holds an admission to the Arizona State Bar.