NY Liberty Sign Crystal Kelly as Training Camp Begins

The New York Liberty’s intentions this training camp and preseason are clear, as in crystal clear. The Liberty today signed fourth-year pro Crystal Kelly to bolster the lineup’s strength in the paint and rebounding presence.

Kelly, a 6-2 forward, was most recently a member of the San Antonio Silver Stars, who renounced their negotiating rights with her last week. Kelly was originally drafted by Houston as the 31st pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft. Though she didn’t make the squad in Houston, she was eventually scooped up by the Sacramento Monarchs and averaged 7.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in her rookie season.

Following a trade to Detroit, where she played one season, she wound up in San Antonio.

Kelly played college basketball at Western Kentucky University. There, she established a new school rebounding record and tallied 2,600 career points.

The signing of Kelly marks a busy spring for Head Coach and General Manager John Whisenant. The team re-signed guard/forward Sidney Spencer in March, and then inked Ewelina Kobryn from Poland last month. They also traded for the draft rights of Jessica Breland and Sydney Colson.

The Liberty opened training camp on Sunday at their facility in New York, running through defensive drills and getting fit for their uniforms. Later in May, the team will officially make their move to the Prudential Center in Newark and play a preseason game on May 25 against the Washington Mystics.