Before the start of the WNBA semifinals, the head coach of the Los Angeles Aces brought a board to the press conference to demonstrate what a monster team she was dealing with. The name Leonie Fiebich was written on the board. The 24-year-old from Landsberg has arrived in the best women’s basketball league in the world – and one of the reasons why this team is so difficult to beat.
“Like an NBA squad”: Fiebich is the X factor in New York
Fiebich’s name was one of four on that plaque. All of them were the big women of the New York Liberty, and the height and wingspan of the players were listed behind each name. Behind Fiebich stood 6’4 and 6’4 – 1.93 meters tall, 1.93 meter wingspan. With Jonquel Jones‘ 2.08 meter wingspan – and especially the 2.15 meters of superstar Breanna Stewart (despite being 1.93 meters tall) this is a pretty big obstacle for the ball on its way to the basket. For comparison: LeBron James has a wingspan of 2.14 meters and therefore loses the direct comparison with Stewart.
“This looks like an NBA squad,” said LA coach Becky Hammon, looking at the board. “It shows how big and agile they all are.” It’s an extraordinary team that New York Liberty has put together. Led by superstars Sabrina Ionescu and Stewart, the team marched through the play-offs and reached the final after a rather one-sided series against LA (3-1).
Von Landsberg in die WNBA
Fiebich is the X-factor in the team. It’s their first year in the WNBA. We had hoped that it would hit there straight away, but we couldn’t have expected it. Fiebich learned to play basketball at DJK Landsberg, made her debut with the first team at the age of 14 and soon moved to the second Bundesliga to TS Jahn Munich, which she quickly outgrew. When she signed with Bundesliga club TSV 1880 Wasserburg, scouts from the WNBA also became aware of her – and so in 2020 the LA Sparks secured the rights to Fiebich, but without bringing her to the USA.
While Fiebich continued her career in Europe, first moving to France and finally joining Casademont Zaragoza, her rights in the USA were happily changing hands. First to Chicago Sky and finally, in 2023, to New York Liberty. Fiebich was voted player of the season in Spain twice – apparently finally enough confirmation of her skills that New York Liberty invited the Landsberg player to the USA to prepare for the season in order to be able to assess her personally. It became clear relatively quickly: Fiebich would stay.
Schröder praises Fiebich: “A smart player”
Since then she has been an important part of the team, has fought her way into the starting lineup over the course of the season and is highly regarded. “The way she throws is something you always need on every team. She’s just a smart player. She’s also very smart on defense, she goes for steals, she helps a good team,” said NBA professional Dennis Schröder recently.
She was voted into the rookie team of the season and is therefore one of the best newcomers in the WNBA. For these newcomers, the play-offs are traditionally the yardstick. Newbies often break in there. But Fiebich turns up the heat. The Landsberg player is always on the floor in the important phases and was able to significantly increase her points total (10.5) compared to the regular season (6.4/game).
“What a luxury”: Fiebich as a key player for the title
She demonstrated her greatest ability in the semi-final against LA. At the beginning she looked after Aces superstar Kelsey Plum on defense and still managed to take on center players if necessary. Courtney Vandersloot, who lost her starting position to Fiebich, was full of praise afterwards: “What a luxury to have her, who can defend the smallest player and immediately take over any other player without any problem.”
Now the ultimate test awaits the Landsberg native: the WNBA finals, which she and her teammate Nyara Sabally were the first Germans to ever reach. In the final series (best of five) the Minnesota Lynx are waiting, of all teams whose offense New York Liberty was unable to get under control during the season.
Experts in the USA still see New York as having an advantage in the series – also because of Fiebich: “The fact that Leonie Fiebich is now in the starting line-up should turn the tide in New York’s favor,” said Sabreena Merchant to “The Athletic”. And DBB captain Schröder is also sure that New York will win. Fiebich has to prove this trust on Friday night in the first game of the series.
