WNBA
Ian Begley, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Isiah Thomas: 'I feel pretty good about the person I put forth'

WNBA

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- New York Liberty president Isiah Thomas hopes that people keep an open mind about his new role in the WNBA.

Many have been critical of the decision to hire Thomas as president of a WNBA team due to his role in a sexual harassment case in 2007, when he was president of the New York Knicks.

"In terms of their beliefs and their stances on domestic violence and sexual harassment, I'm in agreement," Thomas said of those who have expressed opposition to his hire. "I'm not disagreeing with any of them in terms of where they stand."

Addressing reporters on Thursday at the Liberty's media day, Thomas said that he hopes to bring attention to the WNBA, which has struggled to gain footing in the professional sports landscape.

"This sport has a chance to explode in this country," Thomas said. "We just need America and our domestic public to fall in love with our sport."

Thomas also said he hopes to talk to those around the WNBA who have an issue with his new role.

"I'd like for them to meet me themselves and judge from their own interactions with me," Thomas said. "And whatever conclusions they walk away with, that's the conclusion they walk away with. But I'm pretty confident and I feel pretty good about the person I put forth and who I am in terms of my honesty and my peace with that."

The 2007 case involved a former Madison Square Garden executive, Anucha Browne Sanders, who alleged that Thomas sexually harassed her. Although Thomas maintained his innocence, a jury found that MSG, owner of the team, improperly dismissed Browne Sanders for complaining about the unwanted advances. The jury also ruled that Browne Sanders was entitled to $11.6 million in damages from MSG and its chairman, James Dolan. Madison Square Garden and Browne Sanders later settled for $11.5 million.

A portion of the money ($6 million) was awarded for the jury's ruling that Thomas aided and abetted a hostile work environment. The rest of the money was awarded because Browne Sanders was found to have been fired for complaining about the environment.

Thomas and Madison Square Garden have disputed the jury's findings.

"I've always maintained my innocence and I've moved on from that," Thomas said on Thursday. "Our organization has moved on from that."

Thomas and Dolan, who owns the Liberty and Knicks, met with the Liberty prior to the first practice on Sunday to address the sexual harassment case.

"We felt that it was necessary to meet, discuss, have an open forum and let our players ask any questions and then give our side," Thomas said. "We're confident in the fact that the players that we have and the people that we have in this room, they're grown women and they can make up their own minds and come to their own conclusions. It was a healthy and good discussion."

The Thomas hire has been met mostly with support from members of the Liberty.

The players and coach Bill Laimbeer sat in the news conference room Thursday while Thomas met with the media and applauded Thomas at the end of the press conference.

"He's a great basketball mind," Laimbeer said. "He might see some things that I don't."

Added guard Tanisha Wright: "Right now we're focused on basketball. This is an exciting time for Liberty basketball. ... It's been a great environment and we expect that throughout the rest of the season."

Thomas acknowledged that the organization was worried about the public's reaction to his hire.

"We were concerned, we talked about it," Thomas said. "But at the end of the day, you can only live your honesty, you can only live your truth."

Thomas has also filed for part-ownership of the Liberty. On Thursday, the Women's Sport Foundation filed a petition to deny Thomas ownership of the Liberty. His ownership is pending approval from the WNBA Board of Governors.

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