Fansided

Marine Johannès is returning to the Liberty, and that's cause for celebration

I’m not the one crying in line at Arby’s watching Marine Johannès highlights. You are. Okay, we both are. Happy?
ByMat Rutkowski|
Aug 1, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; France shooting guard Marine Johannes (23) passes against Nigeria centre Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah (3) in the first half in a women’s group stage game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images
Aug 1, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; France shooting guard Marine Johannes (23) passes against Nigeria centre Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah (3) in the first half in a women’s group stage game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images | John David Mercer-Imagn Images

As best I understand, the New York Liberty can only have three rotation players at any given time with blonde hair. I’m blonde myself, so I get how that works. Last year Leonie Fiebich was drafted and took one of those spots along with Courtney Vandersloot and Sabrina Ionescu. Marine Johannès, as a result of the blonde ceiling, had to play elsewhere.

However, CVS has since returned to the Sky. That means …

That’s literally not how it works

Fine. Whatever. Marine was signed because she’s very good, wanted to come back, and she couldn’t really negotiate elsewhere as a result of how WNBA contracts work. They work weirdly, if you are willing to say they work at all.

Jackie Powell gave additional information on Bluesky: “I can also report re Marine that she signed a one year contract at the player minimum, $66,079, the amount of her qualifying offer that expired earlier this month.”

Getting a player of Marine’s quality at the minimum directly after winning a championship is a ridiculously fortunate thing. This comes after adding Natasha Cloud as well. If teams were hoping for a dip in competitiveness or some sort of lull coming out of New York this season, the front office is definitely doing what it can to mitigate that.

Like, how can you watch someone do these things and not get hyped?

And this:

People talk about Caitlin Clark going to her left to hit crazy jumpers. Marine Johannès invented that. Well, not really, but you try to tell her otherwise. Becky Hammon was right to call her "lightning in a bottle.”

It is worth saying that despite the passes she can make and the shots she can take, Marine has fallen into the trap of hesitating in the past. I bet it’s tough to believe you have the green light when you’re on a team with Stewie, JJ, and Sabrina. Stefanie Dolson at times seemed like the only player in low moments that could instill some confidence to play her own game. Dolson isn’t there any more.

But there is very little downside to this move. The Liberty proved this past season they don’t necessarily need Johannès to win a championship. This is insurance if anything. Insurance and beauty.

Ultimately, she’s just fun, man. I’m so happy she’s back.

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