An appropriately timed motherly message helped Julie Vanloo turn out to be the New York Liberty’s newest metropolitan heroine.
BROOKLYN—For at the least 22 minutes on Friday night time, the New York Liberty grew to become a JV squad.
Julie Vanloo was a hardship in title just for the Liberty in its 2026 debut, because the final minute signee broke unfastened for 12 factors, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds in New York’s 106-75 clobbering of the Connecticut Solar at Barclays Middle. Vanloo proved to be the literal distinction: New York (1-0) was a plus-31 on the scoreboard when Vanloo was on the ground, the second-best single-game tally for a bench participant in franchise historical past behind solely a 2010 outing from Plenette Pierson.
„I performed with Julie once I was youthful and I performed in opposition to her rather a lot abroad and with our nationwide groups. I do know she’s this type of participant,“ fellow Liberty worldwide rep Marine Johannes mentioned. „When she’s aggressive and taking part in with confidence, she will be able to shoot a tree, she will be able to cross the ball. I believe she’s a fantastic level guard and, after all, she’s becoming with our type of play. I do know she was drained, however nice recreation for her.“
The Liberty’s try at redemption after its first postseason championship protection resulted in first-round heartbreak introduced in a number of hardwood headliners, together with Satou Sabally and new head coach Chris DeMarco.
However with Sabally and Sabrina Ionescu injured and several other depth stars additionally lacking, Vanloo took over to the tune of what in all probability goes down as among the best efforts on a hardship on latest WNBA reminiscence. The 33-year-old fell however three rebounds in need of posting the primary triple-double in reduction in WNBA historical past.
WELCOME TO BROOKLYN, JULIE VANLOO 🫡🗽 pic.twitter.com/qla1LIB2MD
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) Might 8, 2026
Mother’s the Phrase
Solely including to the storybook nature of Vanloo’s Friday breakout was the truth that she got here in on a Thursday-into-Friday crimson eye flight that crossed coasts. Her sneakers touching the Brooklyn hardwood was maybe sufficient of a shock as is. Her extra comfy sneakers touching the ground of a Los Angeles jetway, nonetheless, was maybe the toughest half.
Vanloo’s WNBA passport has picked up a number of stamps since coming into the league in 2024. She spent her debut marketing campaign with the Washington Mystics and break up final 12 months with growth Golden State and the Los Angeles Sparks. She appeared set to reprise her position in SoCal gold earlier than she was one of many Sparks‘ ultimate coaching camp cuts.
That was literal hassle in paradise for Vanloo, who admitted that the Sparks severing was sufficient to make her query whether or not she wished to proceed the WNBA journey. Traversing the idyllic courts in Venice Seashore, a 20-minute drive from the Sparks‘ house of Crypto.com Area, did nothing to settle her spirits, proving to not be therapeutic however solely additional muddling the skilled outlook for Vanloo.
„I actually wished to surrender and go house as a result of I used to be exhausted from from an extended season abroad and from giving every little thing I had in coaching camp,“ Vanloo recalled. „I used to be similar to, am I going to surrender or no? Do I want a while at house, simply to reset?“
„It was darkish days. I used to be taking part in basketball outdoors in these previous few days to remain in form. On hardwood, in Venice Seashore, I used to be making an attempt to [get to] each courtroom outdoors. I used to be making an attempt to play basketball, simply to attempt to discover the enjoyment once more and keep in form and and see how I felt.“
The Belgian breakout has maybe served as an unlucky face of the trials of WNBA roster motion: final summer time, for instance, she unintentionally went viral for exhibiting as much as Barclays Middle mere hours earlier than a Liberty-Sparks recreation along with her away baggage in tow on Atlantic Avenue. That was mere hours after she returned to the US following a profitable EuroBasket title run with the Belgian nationwide crew, solely to be taught on-line that the Valkyries had waived her.
The final word assists got here not on the ground however by an acceptable vacation haul: her mom.
Visibly emotional from the whirlwind of the final 96 hours, Vanloo mentioned she was reminded by her mom, stationed again in Europe, that among the many many labels she has amassed in her skilled profession, „quitter“ was removed from one. Information of the New York hardship, caused about by accidents to Ionescu, Sabally, and Rebecca Allen and the worldwide absences of Raquel Carrera and Leonie Fiebich, got here shortly after.
„I mentioned no [to going back home] and my mother mentioned, additionally, you are not a quitter, so I did not do it,“ Vanloo emphatically mentioned. „When my agent advised me New York is , that is once I did not actually know what I used to be going to do … That is once I felt like, oh, I do not know if I’m prepared mentally.“
„My mother advised me do not give up. My mother misplaced her dad and mom when she was 18 in a automobile accident, so she’s resilient. So she taught me that you may simply by no means quit, like nothing is [permanent], every little thing passes. You may be okay.“
The Cat’s The place It is At
Vanloo took the ground nearly 12 hours after the Liberty introduced her signing, in addition to that of Empire State native Aubrey Griffin. It did not take lengthy for her to enter the official Liberty ledger.
Grabbing a rebound off a Saniya Rivers misfire, Vanloo instantly bought to run level and located a streaking Breanna Stewart for 2 of her game-best 31 factors. Earlier than most of these gathered at Barclays Middle might test their packages to see who No. 53 was, Vanloo then sank a three-pointer that elevated an already-sizable Liberty lead. By the point the primary interval let loose, Vanloo had a task in 15 Liberty factors, scoring seven of her personal whereas producing eight extra by assists and possessions created through rebound.
Vanloo humorously admitted she knew she wasn’t becoming a member of Ionescu within the triple-double sisterhood, satisfied of that after enduring pleasant fireplace from Betnijah Laney-Hamilton on a rebound try. However even she was impressed by what she completed over her first 5 minutes and admitted to feeling indescribable euphoria upon sinking her first shot.
„I do not even know. The primary shot I made was like a full reduction,“ Vanloo mentioned of her three earned off the feed from fellow newcomer Pauline Astier. „I could not be myself earlier than that. I am an emotional participant. Everyone is aware of that. I believe many gamers and other people say, like, why is that someday she may be nice, the opposite day she will be able to’t be. It isn’t even that. I am actually a constant participant. It is simply all about the proper match, the proper confidence, and the liberty that I get to play with. I completely felt that at the moment.“
„I simply mentioned that I wanted to depart my backpack from just like the ache and the doubts and all that in LA or wherever it’s. I want to return right here with out something,“ Vanloo continued. „That is what I did and I am extremely happy with myself, as a result of, belief me, two years in a row the place you get waived, it is not simple. I simply stored my confidence.“
Whereas there have been some errors of aggression registered in her field rating (resembling two first interval fouls), sterling performances from Liberty regulars Stewart, Laney-Hamilton, Johannes, and Jonquel Jones allowed Vanloo’s pursuit of a double-double as the one type of drama as issues closed out. She earned it within the penultimate minute, establishing a three-pointer for Han Xu and the ultimate couple from Rebekah Gardner that created the ultimate tally.
Vanloo needed to be sure that her effort was worthwhile in additional methods than one: not solely would movie from a robust effort clearly look on the desks of scouting departments in Brooklyn and past however her mom was watching the abroad broadcast. By the point Vanloo made her postgame feedback, the clock was approaching 5 a.m. again house. However she preferred to consider that she was giving her mom maybe the one acceptable type of a sleepless night time.
„She watched every little thing. She’s all the time up midnight,“ Vanloo mentioned. „It does not matter if it is 1, 3, 5 a.m. She texted me seven voice notes of how proud she is … She’s like, benefit from the second, she’s like, I will strive to fall asleep, and I do not assume I can. She’s dwelling the identical pleasure, she’s in all probability ready till dad wakes up so she she will be able to inform him every little thing.“
Appropriately sufficient, Vanloo and the Liberty will return to motion Sunday amidst nationwide Mom’s Day festivities in opposition to the aforementioned Washington Mystics (3 p.m. ET, WWOR). Thankfully for Mrs. Vanloo, a day tip stateside will enable her to safe assist and sleep, because the stage is about for a 9 p.m. tip regionally.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
