Avery Warley-Talbert Year in Review
AVERY WARLEY-TALBERT 2015 HIGHLIGHTS
- Appeared in 26 games for the Liberty, averaging 1.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
- A tenacious rebounder, led the team with a per-48 minute rebounding mark of 15.9.
- Was able to pull down 24 offensive rebounds, which ranked fourth on the team.
- Twice led the Liberty in rebounding, pulling down double-digit boards in a win at San Antonio on Aug. 19, and in the regular season finale against Indiana on Sept. 13.
- Scored a career-high 12 points while logging 21 minutes against Washington on Sept. 11.
- Blocked two shots in a win at Chicago on August 7.
Avery Warley-Talbert stepped in and provided much needed support to a very deep New York Liberty front line throughout the 2015 season.
Although Tina Charles, Carolyn Swords, and Kiah Stokes ate up a lot of minutes in the post, Warley-Talbert was there to provide a veteran presence off the bench and aid the best defensive and rebounding team in the league.
The Liberty led the WNBA in a number of statistical categories in 2015. Much attention was paid to the stellar defensive categories, but perhaps just as vital, New York ranked first in rebounds per game (36.7) and defensive rebounds per game (26.8).
Having a player as aggressive on the glass as Warley-Talbert went a long way toward establishing that identity.
Although she averaged just under seven minutes per game, Warley-Talbert’s rebounding rate was far and away the best on the team. Per 48 minutes she averaged 15.9 boards, and that efficiency was on display seemingly every time she stepped on the floor.
Against Phoenix on June 11 she had five rebounds in eight minutes, in a victory over Seattle four boards in just five minutes, and in a dominant road win over San Antonio she pulled down 10 boards in just 12:26 of court time.
Late in the season, when she saw extended playing time against Washington, Warley-Talbert scored a career-high 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, and grabbed six boards in the process.
The Liberty was able to post a franchise record 23 regular season wins and make a deep playoff run because of the complete effort from every member of the team. While the numbers don’t jump off the page, it was evident that Warley-Talbert’s presence was every bit as vital to culture and identity, especially as a hard nosed defensive team that controlled the glass.
Key Links
- Dedication – The Players’ Tribune