Editing Nancy Lieberman (section)

==Playing career==
===High school career===
While attending [[Far Rockaway High School]] in [[Queens, New York|Queens]], she established herself as one of the top women's basketball players in the country by earning one of the 12 coveted slots on the USA's National Team. In 1975, while still in her teens, Lieberman was named to the USA Team designated to play in the World Championships and [[Pan American Games]], where the team won a [[gold medal]].<ref name="1983 Pan Am" />

During the school year, she played for her high school team, but in the summer, played with an [[Amateur Athletic Union]] team in Harlem, the New York Chuckles.<ref>Woolum, p. 176</ref>

She told former [[Knickerbocker Base Ball Club of New York|Knick]] [[Walt Frazier]] that he was her hero and that it was because of him that she wore No. 10, saying: "You might not even know this, but you thought you were affecting young guys but you were affecting young, white Jewish women, not just boys."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/nancy-lieberman-returns-to-her-city-roots-with-message-of-inspiration-1.9939182 |title=Nancy Lieberman returns to her city roots with message of inspiration |work=Newsday<!-- Bot generated title --> |date=February 14, 2015 |access-date=April 27, 2018}}</ref>

===College career===
Lieberman originally was a verbal commitment to [[Canisius University]] before being heavily recruited by [[Old Dominion University]] in [[Norfolk, Virginia]], where she attended from 1976 to 1980 and played on the women's basketball team there.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.odusports.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/oldd/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/wbb-mg08-09-section2 |title=Media Guide |page=9 |access-date=July 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115163637/http://www.odusports.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/oldd/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/wbb-mg08-09-section2 |archive-date=November 15, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> During that time, she and her team won two consecutive [[AIAW]] National Championships (1979, 1980)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.odu.edu/ao/alumni_magazine/FALL08/LiebermanHallFame.html |title=Lieberman Inducted Into HR Hall |access-date=July 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223055210/http://www.odu.edu/ao/alumni_magazine/FALL08/LiebermanHallFame.html |archive-date=February 23, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and one WNIT ([[Women's National Invitation Tournament]]) Championship in 1978. She was the first two-time winner of the prestigious [[Wade Trophy]],<ref name="Wade Trophy" /> a national player of the year award in college women's basketball, and was selected as the [[Broderick Award]] winner for basketball as the top women's player in America.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.awardsandhonors.com/award/hondabroderick_cup.html |title=Honda-Broderick Cup |access-date=July 6, 2009}}</ref> Lieberman also won three consecutive Kodak [[All-America]] awards (1978, '79, '80).<ref name="WBCA AAT" /> Lieberman was one of six young adults to win the [[Young American Award]] from the [[Boy Scouts of America]] in 1980.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalventuringyouthcabinet.org/files/YoungAmericanAwardRecipients.pdf |title=Recipients of the Young American Award |access-date=July 6, 2009}}</ref>

Lieberman earned the nickname "Lady Magic," a nod to [[Magic Johnson|Earvin "Magic" Johnson]] of NBA fame.<ref>Grundy, p. 175</ref> Lieberman set a school record for career assists (961) that still stands today. She led the team in assists each of the four years she was on the team—in her sophomore year she averaged 8.9 per game.<ref name="odusports">{{cite web |url=http://www.odusports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/050608aaa.html |title=Lieberman To Be Inducted Into Hampton Roads Sports Hall Of Fame |access-date=July 26, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726233257/http://www.odusports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/050608aaa.html |archive-date=July 26, 2011 }}</ref> Lieberman amassed 2,430 points along with 1,167 rebounds in her collegiate career, producing an average of 18.1 points per game.<ref name="odusports" /> Lieberman achieved a triple double (40 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists) against [[Norfolk State University|Norfolk State]] in her sophomore year.<ref name="odusports" /> Lieberman stole the ball 562 times and assisted a basket 961 times in her college career, believed to be modern records.<ref name="porter" /> She is the holder of several single-game and single-season records, including best free-throw shooting percentage in her freshman and sophomore years.<ref name="odusports" />

Lieberman earned her degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Old Dominion University on May 6, 1980.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncaa.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/050608aab.html |title=Old Dominion: Lieberman To Be Inducted Into Hampton Roads Sports Hall Of Fame |publisher=ESPN |access-date=July 29, 2009}}</ref> She was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1985.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.odusports.com/trads/oldd-hof.html |title=Old Dominion University Hall of Fame Members |publisher=Old Dominion University |access-date=July 29, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521155417/http://www.odusports.com/trads/oldd-hof.html |archive-date=May 21, 2011 }}</ref>

===Professional career===
[[File:Moriah Jefferson receiving Nancy Lieberman Award cropped.jpg|right|thumb|Lieberman presenting a trophy to [[Moriah Jefferson]]]]
In 1980 she was selected with the first pick in the [[Women's Pro Basketball League]] (WBL) draft by the [[Dallas Diamonds (basketball)|Dallas Diamonds]].<ref name="Skaine 128">{{harvnb|Skaine|2001|p=128}}</ref><ref name="dont-tell-her"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wblmemories.com/Dallas%20Diamonds.htm |title=Dallas Diamonds (1979–81) |access-date=July 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517184649/http://www.wblmemories.com/Dallas%20Diamonds.htm |archive-date=May 17, 2008 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> She helped Dallas to the 1981 WBL finals, where they lost to the Nebraska Wranglers in five games.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nebraska-captures-wbl-c/149991648/ |title=Nebraska captures WBL championship |newspaper=[[Miami Herald]] |place=Omaha, Nebraska |agency=UPI |page=50 |date=1981-04-22 |access-date=2024-06-24 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She was named the "rookie of the year", after averaging 26.3 points per game.<ref name="hockoksports">{{cite web |url=http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/liebermannancy.shtml |title=Lieberman, Nancy |access-date=July 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129221609/http://hickoksports.com/biograph/liebermannancy.shtml |archive-date=29 November 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Lieberman's WBL career is featured in the book ''Mad Seasons: The Story of the First Women's Professional Basketball League, 1978–1981''.

In 1981, she played for the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] [[Summer Pro League]] team.<ref>{{cite news |title=Star woman eager competes on Laker summer league team |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=DS19810720.2.110&srpos=2&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-Summer+Pro+League-------1 |access-date=14 February 2019 |work=Desert Sun |agency=Associated Press |date=20 July 1981 |location=Palm Springs, California |page=C4}}</ref>

In 1984, she once again suited up for the Dallas Diamonds, signing a three-year, $250,000 contract with the team to play in the [[Women's American Basketball Association (1984)|Women's American Basketball Association]] (WABA).<ref name="hockoksports"/> Averaging 27 points per game and voted the league's Most Valuable Player, she helped Dallas win the 1984 WABA championship, but the league folded after the season.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Stan Hovatter Jr. |title=Lieberman working to help Diamonds, league improve |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/638649317/ |access-date=1 September 2021 |work=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]] |date=16 December 1984 |page=16B}}</ref> The final game played was between the Diamonds and the WABA [[All-Stars]], where Lieberman scored 19 points and was named the game's MVP in the Diamonds' 101–94 victory.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Marjorie Lewis |title=Diamonds defeated WABA all-stars |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/638991388/ |access-date=1 September 2021 |work=[[Fort Worth Star Telegram]] |date=17 December 1984 |page=6D}}</ref>

In 1986, Lieberman signed with the [[Springfield Fame]] of the men's professional [[United States Basketball League]] (USBL)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1986/06/23/mixing-it-up-with-the-guys/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012061622/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1064959/index.htm |url-status=live |archive-date=October 12, 2008 |title=Mixing It Up With The Guys |access-date=July 12, 2009 |work=CNN |date=June 23, 1986}}</ref> where she went on to average 1.7 points in 11 minutes per game.<ref name="dont-tell-her">{{cite news |author1=Carol Sliwa |title=Don´t tell her 'girls don't play' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/533177393/? |access-date=1 September 2021 |work=[[The Berkshire Eagle]] |date=24 September 1986 |page=D2}}</ref> She remained in the league the following season, playing for the [[Long Island Knights]].{{citation needed|date=August 2022}} Later, she toured with the [[Washington Generals]], who served as the regular opponent of the [[Harlem Globetrotters]], where she met her future husband, teammate Tim Cline.<ref name="hockoksports"/>

She was elected to the [[Basketball Hall of Fame]]<ref name="HOF" /> as a player in 1996 and to the [[Women's Basketball Hall of Fame]]<ref name="Nancy Lieberman" /> in 1999.

In the newly formed [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]]'s inaugural year in 1997, Lieberman played for the [[Phoenix Mercury]].<ref name="Skaine 129">{{harvnb|Skaine|2001|p=129}}</ref> At the age of 39, she was the WNBA's oldest player.<ref name="Woolum p 177" /> On July 24, 2008, at 50 years old, Lieberman signed a seven-day contract with the eventual WNBA Champion [[Detroit Shock]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wnba.com/transactions/WNBA_2008.html |title=2008 WNBA Transactions |access-date=July 12, 2009}}</ref> breaking her own previous record as the oldest player in league history and returning to the franchise she coached a decade prior.

That same day, the Shock played a game against the [[Houston Comets]] where Lieberman saw playing time. Lieberman recorded two assists in nine minutes of playing time, but Detroit lost the game 79–61.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/players/l/liebena01w/gamelog/2008/|title=Nancy Lieberman 2008 Game Log|website=[[Basketball Reference]]|publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=22 May 2023}}</ref> This ended up being her final WNBA game, as she was waived the next day on July 25, 2008.<ref name="BRef Career"/> The Shock went on to win the [[2008 WNBA Finals|WNBA Finals]] that season.

===National team career===
At age 17, Lieberman was named to the USA Basketball team roster. She played for the team in the 1975 [[USA Women's Pan American Team]], three years younger than the next youngest teammates.<ref name="1975 Pan Am" /> The games were held in Mexico City, Mexico in October. The Pan Am team had failed to win the gold in 1967 and 1971. In 1975, the team was more successful, compiling a 7–0 record, and winning the gold medal for the first time since 1963.<ref name="1975 Pan Am" />

Lieberman continued with the USA team to the 1976 Olympics in [[1976 Summer Olympics|Montreal]] in the first women's Olympic basketball team competition.<ref name="usabasketball.com" /> Shortly after turning 18, Lieberman became the youngest basketball player in Olympic history to win a medal, when the United States captured the silver medal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/nancy-lieberman-at.htm |title=Nancy Lieberman |website=HowStuffWorks |access-date=July 9, 2008}}</ref>

Lieberman was named to the team representing the US at the 1979 [[William Jones Cup]] competition in [[Taipei]]. The USA team won all six games on the way to the gold medal. Lieberman earned a spot on the Jones Cup All-Tournament Team<ref name="1979 Jones Cup" />

Lieberman played with the team at the 1979 Pan American games in [[San Juan, Puerto Rico]]. Although the team easily won most of their games, they lost to Cuba, 91–86, and received the silver medal.<ref name="1979 Pan Am" />

In 1980, Lieberman earned a slot on the 1980 Olympic team, but withdrew from the squad in support of U.S. President [[Jimmy Carter]]'s [[1980 Summer Olympics boycott|boycott]] of the [[1980 Summer Olympics]] in Moscow.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wblmemories.com/WBL%20History%203rd.htm |title=History of the WBL Third Season |access-date=July 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090601161343/http://www.wblmemories.com/WBL%20History%203rd.htm |archive-date=June 1, 2009 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> She failed to make the final roster for the [[1990 Goodwill Games]] and the [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Olympics]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bellingham-herald-finalists-named-fo/149992548/ |title=Finalists named for U.S. women's basketball team |newspaper=[[The Bellingham Herald]] |place=Colorado Springs, Colorado |agency=AP |page=19 |date=1990-06-04 |access-date=2024-06-24 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-savage-gracef/149992372/ |title=Savage gracefully accepts being cut from Olympic team |newspaper=[[Sun-Sentinel]] |page=26 |date=1992-06-01 |access-date=2024-06-24 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>