Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb Awarded 2023 WNBA Executive of the Year Ahead of Playoffs

New York Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb was named the WNBA Executive of the Year for the 2023 season.

Kolb received six first-place votes, with the panel consisting of the league's 12 general managers.

The Liberty had one of the biggest offseasons in WNBA history, acquiring Jonquel Jones from the Connecticut Sun and signing Breanna Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot. Adding Kayla Thornton and securing the return of Marine Johannès paid dividends as well.

The Liberty's superteam experiment is faring much better so far than a similar venture by the NBA franchise with whom they share an arena.

New York had the WNBA's second-best record (32-8) and finished with its highest-ever winning percentage (.800) in the regular season. It earned a comprehensive 82-63 victory over the Las Vegas Aces in the Commissioner's Cup final as well.

Stewart, meanwhile, might be headed toward her second WNBA MVP. She averaged 23.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks while appearing in all 40 games.

To a certain degree, Kolb's Executive of the Year nod is a bigger reflection of the work he did prior to the 2023 offseason.

The New York Knicks are a prime example of how the New York market on its own isn't a big enough draw to attract marquee stars. Players need to see organizational stability and a long-term vision, both of which Kolb steadily built since becoming the Liberty's GM in March 2019.

The Athletic's Ben Pickman detailed in May how Jones, Stewart and Vandersloot had discussed the idea of teaming up in the WNBA. They had played together overseas with UMMC Ekaterinburg.

Still, it was up to the Kolb and the Liberty to make the final sales pitch. Vandersloot reflected to Pickman her decisive factor was how she "was going into something that they had planned."

Wednesday's news is affirmation of Kolb's contributions behind the scenes. But he probably won't consider his efforts a success until New York is lifting its first WNBA title.