If consistency is key, then Tanisha Wright has the code to opening every door. The 11 year WNBA veteran is one of two players on the Liberty squad that has started every game this season, along with WNBA All-Star Tina Charles. She is known, along with Swin Cash, as a veteran leader on this team.
“I am here to help and do whatever the team needs to win,”she said.
Wright’s ability to do literally “whatever” has truly defined the guard’s season. She does not always score in superfluous amounts but at the end of the night, something will always stick out on Wright’s stat line. She is coming off back-to-back games with six assists vs. Indiana and Atlanta. She recorded a season-high nine in a win over Connecticut on August 14. In fact, Wright has only had two games without at least one assists all season, and has scored at least two points in every single match up. If you have witnessed the fourth quarter in a close Liberty game this season, you can almost guarantee Wright will be on the court as the floor general.
“Coaches need to be able to know what they are getting day in and day out from their players,” Wright mentioned. “I strive to be as consistent as a I can and give the team exactly what they need. Those needs change depending on each game.”
For fans who constantly express their excitement about the Liberty via social media, hoping for the team to go “all the way” and that this is “OUR year,” Wright is on board.
“When you come into the playoffs you need a lot of skill and a little luck – I think we are right on the verge. As long as we continue to get better, play our best basketball, I think we have a good chance,” she said.
She also pointed out that focus is exactly what this team needs as they march to the playoffs.
“Any time you get to the end of the season, you want to be playing your best basketball,” She said. “Now that we are coming down the stretch, we need to be focused on playing our best basketball.”
With eight games left in the season and the Liberty on the verge of clinching a playoff berth for the first time since 2012,Wright is one of four members on this year’s squad that knows what it takes to win it all. She was an integral part of the 2010 Seattle Storm WNBA championship team. The term “championship caliber” is not thrown around loosely, but Wright sees attributes in New York which fit that mold: defense, rebounding and chemistry.
Statistically, the Liberty rank first in opponent field goal percentage, points allowed, and all rebounding categories. In terms of chemistry, although this feature cannot be measured on a stat sheet, moments like taking a team trip to Six Flags or having every single player on the team attend Tina Charles’ Hopey’s Heart foundation charity event after a hard fought game can serve as markers. Additionally, scrolling through player’s Instagram photos and peaking in the comment section, every post is always flooded with teammates comments. That makes this team chemistry easier to understand. Just yesterday, Wright was the latest member to brag about the squad via social media.
For clarification, to Wright, #THOROUGH means the Liberty are a model of business. They are focused, and she is truly happy with this team.
That happiness will only grow as Wright and the Liberty strive to bring the WNBA playoffs back to New York City.