Interview with Myles Ehrlich: NY Liberty Fan and WNBA Writer
We spoke with Myles Ehrlich about his New York Liberty fandom, how he balances that fandom with his media coverage of the WNBA, the excitement around the off-season, the team’s highly anticipated debut season at the Barclays Center, and more.
Myles Ehrlich rocking the iconic orange WNBA logo hoodie.
When and how did you become a Liberty fan?
The WNBA is heading into its 25th season now, so it’s been on my radar for most of my life. My earliest memory was catching a game on the radio with my mom, back in the late 90s. We were on our way to Costco but got so caught up in the game that we ended up listening to the entire second half in the parking lot.
My deep fandom only started about three or four years ago, and there was no sudden inciting incident or anything. I’ve always loved sports, and I wanted to support the best women in the world playing basketball, so when I found out the WNBA League Pass was just $17, it was a no-brainer for me. The most intimidating part of getting into any new league is the scope of it all, but I was shocked to find I already recognized at least a player or two on each of the W’s dozen teams. That’s the other part of it: just 12 teams, 144 players. It’s much more digestible than, say, 32 NFL teams with 53-man rosters apiece.
But, yeah, I was hooked from there. And I’m always about local teams, first and foremost. Grew up a Brooklyn kid in the 90s, so I’ve got the Yankees, Knicks, Jets, and Isles. (The Yanks kept me afloat while the others almost sunk me.) So, naturally, the Liberty became my squad. It’s been a lean couple of years, but this offseason has been exciting, and the future is bright!
Describe the most memorable Liberty game you've been to.
The Liberty vs. the Storm at the Barclays Center (2019). Photo by Myles Ehrlich.
August 11, 2019. The Liberty hosted the Seattle Storm for the first – and, as of now, only – regular-season game at the Barclays Center. The energy, within the context of the much-smaller confines at Westchester County Center, where they normally played, was incredible. (Editor’s Note: The Liberty played their home games in 2018 and 2019 at the WCC while being sold by owner James Dolan, and bought by Joe Tsai.) Barclays is a professional arena for a professional team. Of course, being a Brooklyn resident also adds another level for me personally: I’ve gone to my share of Cyclones or Nets games but never had that major level of rooting interest. Plus, of course, the commute will be way easier.
What are some of the best fan interactions you’ve had with Liberty/WNBA supporters?
Twitter really is an amazing place. Fans of the WNBA, as well as the network of support that extends to the NWSL and NWHL, are largely a collection of people that are out there championing women’s excellence. I’ve had some interactions with overseas fans and, as someone who has been on the other side of that time gap while the W players join teams overseas, I have a real deep appreciation for that level of investment.
Additionally, I need to shout out the WNBA media community. So much of the coverage comes from independent outlets, and the pay is often minimal in relation to the depth of information distilled. If someone is covering the W, it’s a passion; they’ve grinded to get to that point so that they could amplify the game, not for some huge payday or something. And the love and recognition there is real, too: the other writers, reporters, and journalists go out of their way to help promote work, engage in conversation, and support however they can. It’s such a terrific and validating space to be in, and one I don’t take for granted.
What are your thoughts on New York’s offseason moves?
Real exciting stuff. It’s easy to look at last year’s 2-20 record in the bubble and think this team is lacking talent, but that’s without serious context. Due to a series of COVID-related opt-outs and illness, last year’s team rostered seven rookies, highlighted by Sabrina Ionescu, Kobe Bryant’s well-known protégé and the all-time NCAA triple-double leader (among both men and women). Unfortunately, just seven-and-a-half quarters into her rookie season, Ionescu went down for the season with an ankle injury, leaving the young squad without a true anchor at the point.
The team was also implementing a fresh system with a new coach, Walt Hopkins, and the personnel didn’t possess the shooting and athleticism to execute his five-out three-point-heavy offensive methodology. These free agency moves – hopefully, coupled with the return of players like Bec Allen, Marine Johannès, and Asia Durr – make this a brand new roster.
The Liberty are bringing in three talented vets: Natasha Howard, a former Defensive Player of the Year, who has also shown the ability to score efficiently and explosively on the offensive end; Betnijah Laney is coming off a career year, in which she put up over 17 points on her way to being named Most Improved, while also being one of the staunchest pick-and-roll defenders in the W; and Sami Whitcomb, one of the quickest releases from three of any WNBA shooter, who has worked hard to improve her playmaking these last few years. Both Howard and Whitcomb are bringing over championship experience, too, coming over from the Seattle Storm, who took down the Las Vegas Aces for the title this past September.
2020 Virtual Media Day with the Liberty’s Layshia Clarendon and Myles Ehrlich.
Tell us about the work you do covering the team.
I’m heading into my third season covering the WNBA, but last season was my first with media credentials for the New York Liberty. I cover the team for Nets Republic, a site that tackles all things New York Liberty, Brooklyn Nets, and Long Island Nets. Beyond that, I write about the league as a whole for two separate sites. At Queen Ballers Club, I write long-form player profiles, so this is a good spot if you’re looking for a holistic look of a W player, from high school up through the pros. I’ve also recently started writing for Winsidr, the largest independent site covering the W, so I suggest you follow all three! All my work is compiled at the website, www.mylesehrlich.com, which also has a curated collection of WNBA players with their dogs, which is a great entry point to fandom, and absolutely the way a new fan should pick a team.