Gotta Get Up!

Training camp is open, and the New York Liberty look nothing 
like the team that lost in the first round to Phoenix a year ago.

Brian is LIVE on the scene as the DeMarco era officially begins 
at Barclays Center — and we have a lot to talk about.

🏀 WHAT WE'RE GETTING INTO:

🗽 THE DeMARCO ERA BEGINS
Four NBA championships. Thirteen years with the Golden State 
Warriors. Now he's the 10th head coach in Liberty history. 

Chris DeMarco called this job a "no-brainer" — but what does his system actually look like on the floor? Brian is at camp and we're breaking down first impressions, what's different, and whether a Warriors-influenced system works with this roster.

🗽 THE NEW LOOK LIBERTY
Stewie is back. Sabrina is back. JJ is back. But the roster around them looks very different. Satou Sabally is in Brooklyn after helping Phoenix knock the Liberty out in 2025. Raquel Carrera and Pauline Astier are new faces. And several core pieces from the championship run are gone. What does this team actually look like — and is it better?

🗽 WHERE IS TASH CLOUD?
Natasha Cloud — three-time All-Defensive Team, 2019 champion, 10.1 points and 5.1 assists per game in seafoam last season — is currently not on any WNBA roster. A week before Opening Night. 

She broke her silence on Threads Sunday: "I've given my heart to every team and community I've been part of." 

• How does a player of her caliber end up here? 
• Is the salary cap structure under the new CBA the real issue? 
• Is this about fit? 
• Is there still a team that makes sense? 

We're not just asking the question — we're answering it.

📋 THE FULL 2026 LIBERTY TRAINING CAMP ROSTER:
Returners: Fiebich, Gardner, Ionescu, Johannès, Jones, Stewart

Previously with the Liberty: Allen, Han, Laney-Hamilton

New arrivals: Satou Sabally, Raquel Carrera, Pauline Astier, Marine Fauthoux

Note: Stewart, Johannès, and Erdoğan join next week following the EuroLeague Women's Final Six. 

📬 Subscribe to the WBB Roundup — twice-weekly women's basketball coverage in your inbox: https://wbb-roundup.beehiiv.com/

🏀 Subscribe to Gotta Get Up! so you never miss a live show: https://gottagetuppod.transistor.fm/

🕗 LIVE: Tuesday, April 21 at 7:30 PM ET

#NewYorkLiberty #WNBA #GottaGetUp #NatashaCloud #ChrisDeMarco #LibertyNation #WomensBball #BlackRosieMedia #WBBRoundup #LibertyTrainingCamp

The New York Liberty are BUILT DIFFERENT this offseason — and Erica L. Ayala and Brian Fleurantin broke it all down on this week's Gotta Get Up, the podcast for New York Liberty fans brought to you by Black Rosie Media.

Satou Sabally is headed to Brooklyn on a multiyear deal, reuniting with former Oregon teammate Sabrina Ionescu and forming one of the most loaded frontcourts in WNBA history alongside Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones. 

But how does the elder Sabally sister actually FIT? 
Is the Liberty roster too big? What happens when Stewart and Sabally both need to play the four? A
nd what about the concussion that cost her the 2025 Finals — can we really count on her staying healthy?

We also got into the fan favorites whose statuses are still up in the air:
🗽 Natasha Cloud — Tash is an unrestricted free agent. She expressed interest in staying in New York, but the cap math is getting tight. Does she come back? And was she even the right fit?

🗽 Betnijah Laney-Hamilton — BLH missed ALL of 2025 with a torn meniscus. She's a reserved player — meaning she can ONLY negotiate with the Liberty — and she's been counting down the days on her Instagram. The Brooklyn faithful want her back. So do we. What's the update?

🗽 Marine Johannès — The French fan favorite appeared in every single game in 2025 when everyone else was hurt. She's received a qualifying offer from New York. Is she back? What's her role on a suddenly crowded roster?

Plus: new head coach Chris DeMarco, what this roster means for the 2026 championship chase, and whether the Liberty can finally get past the Aces.
👀 Championship or bust? 

🎙️ Gotta Get Up is the podcast for New York Liberty fans, hosted by Erica L. Ayala and Brian Fleurantin, brought to you by Black Rosie Media — credentialed at the table for the WNBA Draft, WNBA Finals, Paris Olympics, and more.

📬 Subscribe to the Women's Basketball Roundup newsletter — twice weekly WBB coverage delivered to your inbox: https://wbb-roundup.beehiiv.com/

00:00 Commissioner fields questions at draft
06:18 Discussing lineup strategies and teaching
13:56 Satu's impact on the team
18:46 Deciding on adjusting playing time
24:26 Sabrina's role in the 2024 season
27:57 Sabrina's improved driving skills
37:05 Discussing player lineup strategies
40:31 Impact of a longer roster
47:51 Managing player minutes and competition
49:54 Focus on flexible, switchable lineups
58:30 Discussing offensive rebound strategies
01:02:04 Discussing Kia's role on the team
01:09:23 Discussing Indiana's defensive needs
01:13:17 Social media and WNBA engagement
01:16:28 Emma Messiman's challenging season in NY
01:21:09 Beck Allen's return and team dynamics
01:30:52 Adjusting to new team dynamics
01:33:49 Discussing Stewie and New York Liberty
01:41:41 WNBA podcast schedule update
01:43:47 Podcast outro and thanks

Women's basketball is moving FAST right now — and we have a LOT to say.

Join Brian and Erica for a special Gotta Get Up! livestream breaking down one of the biggest weeks the sport has seen in years. The New York Liberty lost Nyara Sabally to the Toronto Tempo in the WNBA expansion draft. UCLA just claimed its first-ever NCAA championship. WNBA free agency is about to open. The draft is days away. We are not taking a breath.

Here's what we're getting into:

🏀 LIBERTY LOSE NYARA SABALLY TO TORONTO
🏆 UCLA WINS THE 2026 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
💸 WNBA FREE AGENCY — THE LANDSCAPE
📋 2026 WNBA DRAFT PREVIEW

💬 YOUR QUESTIONS LIVE IN THE CHAT
Drop your takes, questions, Liberty concerns, and UCLA celebrations. We're here for all of it.

📰 Not subscribed to the WBB Roundup yet? It's our twice-weekly women's basketball newsletter — and if this week's news is any indication of what this season is going to look like, you need it in your inbox. Subscribe for free at blackrosiemedia.com.

🎙️ Gotta Get Up! is a podcast for New York Liberty fans, part of Black Rosie Media — a women's sports media company covering women's basketball and women's hockey with the depth they deserve.

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📌 LINKS
🌐 Website: blackrosiemedia.com
📧 WBB Roundup Newsletter: blackrosiemedia.com/wbb-roundup
🐦 Twitter/X: @BLKRosieMedia
📸 Instagram: @blackrosiemedia
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Is the New York Liberty’s championship window still open heading into 2026? 

Gotta Get Up tackles the team’s future as the WNBA’s new CBA rewrites the rules of engagement. Hosts Erica L. Ayala and Brian Florentin break down the potential impacts of increased max salaries, the introduction of developmental roster spots, and vital changes for player movement—including trade protection clauses for pregnant players. 

They weigh in on the franchise’s strategies with Brianna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu, Banijah Laney Hamilton, and Natasha Cloud all in the free agency and expansion draft mix.

Reactions to a fast and furious off-season, a Final Four recap, and the looming arrival of new expansion teams—like the revived Houston Comets—keep the stakes high. Can Chris DeMarco steer the Liberty through roster shake-ups and a longer season? 

The show examines what the Liberty must do to remain true contenders as they chase glory in the WNBA’s milestone 30th season.

🏀 In this episode:
🗽Elite 8 recap from the NCAA Women’s Tournament
🗽What the new WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement means
🗽Free agency, roster questions, and key decisions ahead
🗽What has to happen for the Liberty to contend again in 2026

With a new coach, major roster uncertainty, and the league celebrating 30 seasons, this is a pivotal moment for New York.

00:00 Elite Eight recap and draft preview

03:23 UConn vs. Notre Dame matchup

07:04 South Carolina's offensive improvement

12:54 Lauren's growth and mindset

15:53 Intro and topics for today's episode

18:01 New collective bargaining agreement

19:48 Key updates in new CBA

23:15 WNBA salary updates and rookie pay

28:37 Connecticut Sun's history and legacy

30:08 WNBA award payouts increase

35:13 Discussing J.J.'s contract options

38:40 Team dynamics and Cloud's value

41:06 Elite Eight discussion and free agency

44:05 Navigating leadership during negotiations

48:26 Questions about Chris DeMarco's readiness

51:30 Preparing for the upcoming season

53:57 Looking ahead to WNBA season

56:09 Outro

To win a championship, you need depth. That's precisely what New York Liberty had, especially with Kennedy Burke in the rotation.

Join Erica L. Ayala and Brian Fleurantin to understand how Kennedy Burke's reliability propelled the Liberty toward their first WNBA title.

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BRM
Blue Sky (BRM): https://blackrosiemedia.bsky.social

Erica L. Ayala
Blue Sky: https://elindsay08.bsky.social

Brian Fleurantin
Blue Sky: https://busyxb.bsky.social

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Support Black Rosie Media: https://www.blackrosiemedia.com

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ABOUT BLACK ROSIE MEDIA

Black Rosie Media is a community for Black women and melanated creators in sports media.

We are committed to showing up as advocates for the visibility of Black women and creators of color through original content, events, partnerships, and more. Our goal is to create a space online where Black women and other BIPOC creators are celebrated, appreciated, and equitably compensated for their work.

Not only is Black Rosie Media a community for Black women and melanated creators, but it's also a standalone media conglomerate giving these creators a platform for their work. We are a space for news, game coverage, and creative sports content.

#wnba #newyorkliberty #womensbasketball

Is Courtney Vandersloot staying with the New York Liberty or heading elsewhere? 🏀 The GGU Crew dives into this burning WNBA question with raw & unfiltered thoughts! 🚨 Join us LIVE for real-time reactions, in-depth analysis of Courtney's free agency decision, and what this means for the Liberty's future. 

We’re breaking it all down—her role, stats, and what she’s looking for in free agency. Plus, we’re talking New York Liberty’s roster moves and who might step up to fill the gap. It’s all happening with interactive live chat, where YOUR thoughts shape the discussion. 

Don’t miss this basketball watch-along for Liberty fans and WNBA lovers alike. Join us LIVE to find out! 🗽🔥

#unrivaledbasketballleague #unrivaled #unrivalednews #courtneyvandersloothighlights #satousabally

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
01:14 - Vibe Check
04:31 - Courtney Vandersloot 2024 Season
10:36 - 2025 Season Outlook for Courtney Vandersloot
14:05 - Value Comparison: Courtney Vandersloot's Impact
16:16 - Raising the Standard in Women's Basketball
19:45 - Satou Sabally Analysis
20:40 - CBA Negotiations Overview
21:50 - Newsletter Sign-Up
24:23 - Courtney Vandersloot's Free Agency Preferences
29:50 - Unrivaled Schedule Issues
31:47 - Where Will Courtney Vandersloot Play Next?
42:09 - Available Guards for New York Liberty
47:52 - Marine Johannes vs. Courtney Vandersloot Debate
53:17 - Unrivaled Discussion
57:20 - In-Person Experience Recap
01:01:15 - Media Day Highlights
01:17:40 - Impact of the 2-Year Bug on Sloot?
01:25:03 - Ellie Wave

It's the most wonderful time of the year, WBB fans! The WNBA is back and action with a star-studded rookie class, not to mention a new "superteam" emerging in Seattle. 

On tonight's episode, the Gotta Get Up crew will take a look at the New York Liberty Training Camp roster and players who we think NEED to have a stellar season for the Liberty to run it back to the WNBA Finals.

The  @NewYorkLiberty couldn't hold onto an early Game 4 lead, and the Aces take the 2023 WNBA title 70-69 despite a depleted roster. 

Erica L. Ayala, Brian Fleurantin, and special guest Geoff Magliocchetti give their immediate postgame reactions on the court at Barclays Center. 

It's do or die in the 2023  @WNBA Finals today for the  @NewYorkLiberty .  Erica L. Ayala and Misha Jones discuss the smackdown dished out to the Liberty in Game 2 and what needs to happen in Game 3 for New York to defeat the Las Vegas Aces and keep the series going. 

GOOD NEWS, LIBERTY FANS!

We've started a special Patreon-only podcast ahead of the WNBA Finals. Sign up today to hear exclusive interviews, podcast bloopers, and more!

GOTTA GET UP: OVERTIME MEMBERSHIP:
patreon.com/BlackRosieMedia

Let's Go! The  @NewYorkLiberty are in the  @WNBA Finals for the first time in over 20 years! They will hit the road to take on the  @LVAces in a best-of-five series.

Gotta Get Up! A Podcast for New York Liberty fans will be in the house for Game 1. Before we head to Las Vegas, hear Erica L. Ayala, Misha Jones, and Brian Fleurantin chop it up in Part I of this WNBA Finals Preview episode.

GOOD NEWS, LIBERTY FANS!

We've started a special Patreon-only podcast ahead of the WNBA Finals. Sign up today to hear exclusive interviews, podcast bloopers, and more!

GOTTA GET UP: OVERTIME MEMBERSHIP:
patreon.com/BlackRosieMedia