With the NBA lockout threatening to halt the upcoming season, many star players are mulling contract offers from teams across the pond. Despite some interest from Euro leagues, Knicks forward Jared Jeffries will remain stateside and sign a one year deal with the WNBA’s New York Liberty.
“Is it technically legal? No,” said WNBA Commissioner Laurel J. Richie. “I just don’t think anyone’s going to put up a stink about Jeffries playing in our league.”
Jeffries was inspired by the 2002 flick “Juwanna Mann” in which a man disguises himself as a woman to play in the WNBA, turned down a contract to play in the Republic of Moldova in order to join the Liberty’s roster.
“I wanted to stay close to home,” he said. “Gotta keep my legs fresh, ya know, boost my stats a little bit.”
Jeffries stat line currently sits at 5.1 points, and a meager 4.3 rebounds per game for his NBA career. Those numbers are below average for a 6-ft.,11-in. man, but would stack him amongst the top female players in the world.
Liberty Head Coach John Whisenant sees Jeffries as a “versatile sixth woman, capable of playing the 3, 4, or 5 spot on the floor.”
Jeffries has also stated he will donate his entire $12,500 salary to his charity, “F.C.A.” (Former College Athletes) which helps find jobs for star collegiate athletes who don’t pan out in the pros, and aren’t as fortunate as he inexplicably is.
The Liberty were so thrilled Jeffries was willing to come aboard, they contacted Jeffries’ Knicks teammate Renaldo Balkman to fill out their roster. Balkman ultimately declined and chose to travel Asia with the hip-hop outfit, Digital Underground as lead singer Humpty Hump’s stand in.
