New York Liberty part ways with coach Walt Hopkins

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Liberty and coach Walt Hopkins have parted ways less than two years after he was hired. Hopkins led the team to the playoffs this season after going 2-20 his first year. New York improved to 12-20 this season before losing to Phoenix in the opening round of the playoffs on a free throw in the last few seconds. The 36-year-old Hopkins served as an assistant for the Minnesota Lynx before being hired by New York in January 2020. The Liberty had the league’s rookie of the year in Michaela Onyenwere and a solid young core led by Sabrina Ionescu, Betnijah Laney and Natasha Howard.