Sources: Meesseman to Liberty in WNBA return

Emma Meesseman, the 2019 WNBA Finals MVP who hasn't appeared in the league since 2022, has committed to joining the defending champion New York Liberty, general manager Jonathan Kolb said Tuesday.

Meesseman's arrival to New York will be subject to the length of time it takes to go through the visa application process, Kolb said.

"It's too early to say right now, we're going to try and do it as quickly as possible," Kolb said.

The 6-foot-4 forward from Belgium has been a huge difference-maker when she has played in the league. The two-time WNBA All-Star averaged 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for the Chicago Sky in 2022.

Before that, she had played seven seasons with the Washington Mystics, where she helped lead them to a championship in 2019 and became the first reserve to win Finals MVP in the process.

Meesseman, who earlier this summer competed in EuroBasket with Belgium, also considered the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury, sources told ESPN.

Her decorated international resume includes two nods on Olympic All-Star Five teams (in Tokyo and Paris), two EuroBasket MVP honors and three consecutive EuroLeague MVP bids.

With Meesseman's commitment, the rich get richer as as the Liberty seek to become the fourth WNBA franchise -- and just the second in the past 20 years -- to repeat as champions. The Liberty already boast some of the WNBA's top players in Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones, the latter of whom is expected back this week from an ankle injury that has sidelined her much of the season.

.New York signed Australian forward Stephanie Talbot earlier Monday. She was waived by the Golden State Valkyries last week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.