Key keywords: New York Liberty, Anneli Maley, WNBA free agency, Australian women's basketball, 2024 WNBA season, Liberty roster update, WNBA offseason moves, WNBL MVP The New York Liberty announced on Wednesday that they have officially signed 25-year-old Australian forward Anneli Maley to a guaranteed base contract ahead of the 2024 WNBA regular season, marking a key low-cost, high-upside addition to the franchise’s roster as they look to avenge their 2023 WNBA Finals loss to the Las Vegas Aces. Maley, a 6-foot-1 versatile wing, is no stranger to the WNBA, having previously signed a 7-day hardship contract with the Chicago Sky in 2022, where she appeared in four games and showed flashes of her elite defensive intensity and rebounding prowess. Over the past three seasons, she has emerged as one of the top talents in Australia’s WNBL, claiming the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2022 after averaging 19.8 points, 15.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for the Bendigo Spirit. Her 2023-2024 WNBL campaign was equally impressive, with averages of 17.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 36.2% from 3-point range on over 4 attempts per outing. Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello, herself a former Australian women’s national team star, noted in the official press release that Maley’s skill set aligns perfectly with the team’s playing identity. “Anneli brings the kind of toughness, defensive versatility and unselfish play we value above all else here in New York,” Brondello said. “She can guard positions 1 through 4, crash the boards on both ends of the floor, and space the floor for our star playmakers like Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart. We’ve tracked her progress for years, and we’re confident she can contribute immediately to our goal of winning a WNBA championship in 2024.” Maley also brings valuable international experience to the Liberty roster, having represented the Australian Opals at the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup and 2023 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, where she helped her country claim a bronze medal. In her first public comments after the signing, Maley called the move a lifelong dream come true. “Growing up in Australia, the WNBA was always the highest peak for any women’s basketball player, and to get the chance to join a team as talented and ambitious as the New York Liberty is incredible,” she said. “I’m ready to bring all the energy and effort I have every single day, do whatever the team needs to win, and compete for a spot in the rotation.” League analysts have already highlighted the signing as one of the most underrated moves of the 2024 WNBA offseason, as Maley fills a clear gap in the Liberty’s wing rotation behind starters Breanna Stewart and Betnijah Laney. She is expected to join the team for training camp in late April, ahead of the Liberty’s regular season opener against the Washington Mystics on May 14.