NEW YORK – With the No. 11 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm®, the New York Liberty selected Marquesha Davis from Ole Miss, followed by Esmery Martinez from Arizona and Jessika Carter from Mississippi State with its pair of second round picks at No. 17 and 23, respectively. Lastly, the Liberty used its No. 35 overall pick to draft Kaitlyn Davis from USC.
“Tonight was a success for the future of the New York Liberty. Welcoming Marquesha, Esmery, Jessika, and Kaitlyn to the organization further expands our breadth of young talent for 2024 and beyond as we strategically pursue perennial contention,” said General Manager Jonathan Kolb. “We are excited to add this versatile group, both in the immediate and future, with unique skillsets that fit our style of play here in New York,” added Head Coach Sandy Brondello.
In her most recent season at Ole Miss, Marquesha Davis, a 6-0 guard, averaged a team-high 14.0 points and 1.5 steals per game - both career bests. The All-SEC First Team selection also averaged 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game on 44.7% (180-403) shooting from the field, while reaching double-figure scoring in 25 games and recording eight 20-point games in her 2023-24 campaign. The McGehee, Ark. native also tallied a career-high 33 points on 57.9% (11-19) from the field in an SEC Tournament Quarterfinals win over Florida.
“Marquesha is a talented player whose athleticism, length, creation off-the-dribble, and ability to get downhill all grade at the WNBA level, and she has all of the physical tools to develop into an elite perimeter defender,” said Kolb.
Martinez, a 6-2 forward, most recently represented Arizona as a graduate student and averaged 11.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. The Hato Mayor del Rey, Dominican Republic native ranked within the top-10 of her conference for steals per game in each of the last four seasons.
Kolb continued: “Esmery is an accomplished collegiate player with a defensive-first mentality. Her strength, versatility, and anticipation are all pro-level, and we very much look forward to watching her compete in training camp.”
In her 2023-24 season with Mississippi State, Carter averaged 14.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game on 52.8% (201-381) shooting from the field. The 6-5 center from Waverly Hall, Ga. was honored with the Gillom Trophy as the best player in Mississippi in 2023-24. Carter’s 57% (188-330) field goal percentage as a senior led the SEC in 2022-23.
“Jessika is a strong rim protector and rebounder with next-level finishing ability. We are eager to see her compete against our championship caliber frontcourt,” Kolb added.
Marquesha Davis (pronounced Mar-QWEE-Shuh), Esmery Martinez (pronounced EZ-mare-ee), and Jessika Carter are the first Liberty draftees from Ole Miss, Arizona, and Mississippi State, respectively.
Kaitlyn Davis most recently represented USC as a graduate student and averaged 6.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists on 54.4% (74-136) shooting from the field. The 6-2 forward from Norwalk, Conn. led the Ivy League in Player Efficiency Rating (28.2), Win Shares (6.3), and Box Plus-Minus (10.1) as a senior with Columbia. Davis, a two-time All-Ivy First Team selection, finished her career with 21 double-doubles and 66 double-figure scoring games.
“By securing Kaitlyn’s draft rights, she will have the opportunity to continue to develop and compete for a spot on the Liberty as soon as the 2025 season. Her athleticism in the frontcourt, dynamic playmaking ability, and rim protection make her an exciting future prospect,” Kolb concluded.
The New York Liberty’s 2024 season tips off on May 14. Season ticket memberships and single game tickets for home games at Barclays Center are on sale now at Ticketmaster. To learn more and view additional ticketing options such as group tickets and ticket plans, visit liberty.wnba.com/tickets.