The New York Liberty have big expectations in 2026. They want to contend for titles and their versatile roster is critical for that goal. So far, one of their newest players has helped push them to near the top of the standings.
Pauline Astier signed with the Liberty shortly after the completion of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Astier is expected to come off the bench, but due to a preseason leg injury for Sabrina Ionescu, she’s had to fill in as a starter. A sudden change in role can be overwhelming for a rookie. However, Astier is playing like a seasoned WNBA veteran.
Over the first four games of the season, Astier is averaging close to 17 points per game on astounding .625/.455/.706 shooting splits. Astier’s first few weeks in the WNBA has placed her next to some historic company
Pauline has also averaged four assists to only two turnovers as she guides the WNBA’s best offense thus far. Once you dig in to her performance, there are plenty of things that should have Liberty fans even more excited.
Living at the rim
One of the most impressive parts of Astier’s game is her finishing at the rim. Through the first four games, she is eighth among guards in field goals attempted inside the restricted area at 4.5 per game. To add to that, she is shooting a mystifying 83.3 percent inside that area, tops on the Liberty. When she has the ball in the open court, she’s able to quickly break defenders down and get to the basket
Thanks to New York’s team success at the rim, teams have to help and prevent them from getting those high quality shot attempts. New York has talked about spacing on offense since training camp, and we see the results shining through
Astier’s all-around excellence has been noticed by the coaching staff and they will work to empower her even more.
“She’s a phenomenal player,” Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco said. “She’s so steady and she really takes what the game gives her. I’m open, I’m going to shoot the 3, you play up, I’m going to go by you, you help, I’m going to pass to the open person.”
Liberty Lately!
To discuss Astier’s performance even more, I recently joined Dexter Henry on the latest episode of Liberty Lately
Pauline Astier’s start has been a god send for the Liberty. She’s filled in capably for Sabrina Ionescu and has shined in her own right. As the team gets healthy, Astier will be a key part of their plans going forward.