Liberty center Jonquel Jones was not very familiar with French guard Pauline Astier at the start of training camp.
It didn’t take long, though, for Jones to become a self-proclaimed “big Pauline fan.”
Astier has a certain quiet, almost unassuming confidence to her.
It shines in big moments, like late in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 83-75 win against the Indiana Fever.
Astier drove into Caitlin Clark and Euro-stepped to the basket for a layup that gave New York a four-point lead with 2:55 left.
She ultimately recorded six points, an assist and a rebound in the last three minutes of the game to help the Liberty secure their fourth consecutive win.
“She’s just a really good player and I keep having to remind myself that she’s a rookie in our league, but I’m very impressed with her,” Jones said. “I like the way that she approaches the game — not just on the court, but off the court. She has a very level head.”
Astier is 24 years old and has been playing professionally overseas since she was a teenager.
She had her pick of WNBA destinations this spring and committed to the Liberty.
With Sabrina Ionescu sidelined first with a left foot injury and lately with back soreness, Astier has taken on greater responsibility than expected as one of the team’s primary facilitators.
She has a good balance in her game.
She’s a smart player and sees the floor well.
She also has a good feel for when to find an open teammate or to take it to the cup.
Astier ranks fourth in scoring (11.8 points per game), third in assists (3.6) and fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.35) among rookies.
Her 59.8 shooting percentage is the best among first-year players with a minimum of seven games.
She’s also gone 10-for-20 from behind the arc in her first 11 games.
“She’s very mature for her age,” Jones said. “She’s a great 3-point shooter, and I think the more we can pour into her and just let her know that we’re OK with her shooting those shots and she can step into those confidently, I think she can do that at a high level, too.”
The Liberty are headed to Connecticut Monday for their first of two road games.
It’ll be the second time the Liberty will face the Sun this season.
In the first game, Astier had five points, four assists and two rebounds.
She’s continued to progress in each opportunity since.
Her steady play has earned the trust of the team’s leaders, including Jones and Breanna Stewart.
“I’m so happy because … yeah, I feel like they trust me,” Astier said. “I’m just happy to be part of this.”
