Jonathan Kolb

Jonathan Kolb
New York Liberty
PositionGeneral Manager
LeagueWNBA
Career information
CollegeArizona State
Career highlights and awards

Jonathan Kolb is an American basketball executive and the General Manager of the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In 2023, he was named WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award.[1]

Kolb was hired by the Liberty organization in March 2019,[2] following its transfer of ownership to Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai, and helped transition the team from Westchester to a new era in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center. Joining the team during their 2018–2020 slump, he helped improve the team and is credited with bringing it to a new level in their 2023 season by putting together an all-star team,[3][4] resulting in the winningest year in franchise history (to that point), a WNBA Commissioner's Cup win, and its first appearance in the WNBA Finals since 2002.[1][5] The team won its first franchise WNBA Championship in the 2024 WNBA Finals.

Ohemaa Nyanin, the inaugural GM of the Golden State Valkyries, was Kolb's first front office hire in 2019.[6]

From 2014 to 2019, he worked for the WNBA in basketball strategy and operations. Kolb attended Arizona State University, where he earned his undergraduate and juris doctor (JD).[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Philippou, Alexa (2023-09-14). "Liberty GM Kolb named WNBA Exec of the Year". ESPN. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  2. ^ a b New York Liberty (March 14, 2019). "Liberty Announce Front Office Hire, GM Jonathan Kolb". liberty.wnba.com. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  3. ^ Magliocchetti, Geoff (2024-04-27). "GM Jonathan Kolb Recaps Liberty Draft, 'Successful' Offseason (EXCLUSIVE)". All Knicks. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  4. ^ Gamelli, Sara Jane (2023-08-30). "How New York Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb built a powerhouse in Brooklyn. -". Ballislife.com. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  5. ^ New York Liberty. "Jonathan Kolb – General Manager". liberty.wnba.com. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  6. ^ Torenli, J. T. (2024-05-07). "Liberty assistant GM to lead new franchise". Brooklyn Eagle. Retrieved 2024-05-14.