Julie Vanloo made her debut for the New York Liberty this season. She scored 12 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists while playing just 22 minutes in the team's season opener against the Connecticut Sun. Alex Fowler also made her debut in the game against the Portland Fire and delivered 12 points in 17 minutes of play. By those numbers alone, you would assume both players had carved out a firm place in this Liberty roster. As it turns out, they haven't. And as of now, they have finished serving their purpose on this team.
According to a post by Myles Ehrlich on X, the WNBA transaction page now shows that the New York Liberty have waived Julie Vanloo and released Alex Fowler. The reality is, both players signed to hardship contracts and development contracts respectively. Fowler, according to her development contract, would have been able to stay with the team for the remainder of the season. However, her active game availability is strictly a maximum of 12 games. She played in two games for the Liberty, against the Portland Fire and against the Golden State Valkyries. Now she's been released.
As for Julie Vanloo, being on a hardship contract means that the Liberty signed her because they dropped below the required number of healthy active players. And even after playing five games, across which she averaged 5.8 points, 5.4 assists, and 2.0 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game, she is now being waived.
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And the reason for her waiver isn't farfetched. Superstar guard Sabrina Ionescu
alongside European late-arrivals Raquel Carrera and Leonie Fiebich are now returning to the active lineup. And by league rule, once a roster has 10 or more healthy regular players available, emergency hardship contracts must be given a contract termination. As for Fowler, the return of these players also leaves no further room on the 12-man roster that the WNBA mandates.
Specifically, Sabrina Ionescu has been away after she suffered a left foot/ankle injury during a preseason game against the Connecticut Sun. And so she missed the opening stretch of the regular season while undergoing evaluation and rehabilitation. Right now, she's nearing full recovery. She was, in fact, upgraded to questionable ahead of the Liberty's last game against the Valkyries. And so, there's a strong indication that she'll be a feature in the next stretch of games.
As for Raquel Carrera and Leonie Fiebich, they were away fulfilling their mandatory overseas club contract in Europe. Specifically, they both remained in Spain to lead Valencia Basket to the domestic league crown. Carrera even won the Spanish League Finals MVP award in the process.
With these players now back in the fold, the Liberty are finally approaching a full and healthy rotation for the first time this season. In that context, Julie Vanloo and Alex Fowler did exactly what the Liverty asked of them. They stepped into a depleted roster, contributed meaningfully, and helped keep the Liberty competitive during a difficult period. That their time with the team has come to an end is a product of league regulations rather than any failure on their part. They arrived, they delivered, and they leave having done their jobs well.
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What Next For Julie Vanloo and Alex Fowler?
Following their waiver and release, Julie Vanloo
and Alex Fowler are now both unrestricted free agents. This means that either of them can immediately sign with any of the other 11 WNBA teams that need roster depth. And apart from the fact that both players, to a large extent, proved their capability during their brief stints with the New York Liberty, they also have quite a bit of credentials.
Vanloo, for example, is a highly decorated European veteran and a vital piece of the Belgian national team. In fact, she famously led the "Belgian Cats" to back-to-back FIBA EuroBasket championships in 2023 and 2025. And she earned tournament honours in both championship years. She has also played professionally across major leagues in Spain, France, Turkey, Italy, and Australia.
Fowler, on the other hand, is a rising Australian frontcourt talent. She left the University of Portland as the all-time Division I leader in points and rebounds. She also won the 2025/26 WNBL Championship with the Townsville Fire and claimed MVP honors at the 2025 FIBA Women's Asia Cup while leading Australia to a gold medal. Her brief stint with the Liberty was in fact also a record-setting one, as she became the first player on a development contract to score in double figures.
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In short, the credentials that these two players have, coupled with what they displayed with the Liberty, mean they remain highly coveted options for any other WNBA teams dealing with roster issues. But as it appears, Julie Vanloo might be stepping away from immediate WNBA hunt. She has an obligation to rejoin the Belgian National Team as they prepare for the upcoming FIBA EuroBasket tournament phases. And after that, she will return to elite European club basketball, where she plays for Turkish powerhouse ÇBK Mersin as a premier guard coming off a dominant title run.
As for Fowler, apart from staying prepared for a call-up from another franchise, she is also heavily in the mix for the Australian senior national team. And later in the year, the expectation is that she will return home to defend her domestic title with the Townsville Fire in Australia's WNBL.
For now, both players leave New York having made strong impressions in very limited opportunities. And even though their Liberty chapter ended quickly, their performances likely ensured that this will not be the last time WNBA fans hear their names this season.
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