LOS ANGELES — Sparks guard Erica Wheeler appeared to say something to Liberty developmental player Marine Fauthoux as she got set at the free-throw line late in Tuesday’s fourth quarter.
Fauthoux flashed a smile and sank both free throws to give the Liberty a seven-point lead with 32.7 seconds left.
Let that be a lesson for future opponents.
“More you talk to me, the more I’m confident,” Fauthoux advised The Post following the Liberty’s 113-109 win. “So I was so happy she talked to me because I was sure I will make it.”
Indeed she did.
Tuesday was yet another strong outing for Fauthoux, who has reached double-figure scoring in two of the previous three video games.
Fauthoux scored 10 of her career-high 13 factors in the fourth quarter.
Fauthoux’s arrival comes as her fellow French guard Pauline Astier has appeared to hit the rookie wall.
Astier, who had been a shiny spot in the first half of the season, hasn’t scored 10 factors since July 12. She beforehand said she was wanting ahead to the All-Star break to get a much-needed breather as this is her first time enjoying year-round.
Marine Fauthoux dribbles up courtroom during the Liberty’s win over the Sparks on July 28, 2026 in Los Angeles. NBAE via Getty Images
With Astier in a bit of a funk, Fauthoux has quietly become an vital half of the backcourt rotation.
However, she’s performed in seven of her allotted 12 video games as a developmental player. If the Liberty need to preserve her for the lengthy haul and have her out there in the playoffs, they’d have to convert her to a normal contract and half with at least one player to make room.
Rebekah Gardner has been impressed with Fauthoux, who was rehabbing from a knee harm to begin the season.
“She’s been ready for her opportunities and showing out,” Gardner said. “Have you seen her play overseas? This is how she plays. So it’s exciting to see her come into the WNBA and step right into it even as a developmental player where you’re maybe not always getting the same reps and rhythm as everybody else. I feel like it’s pretty awesome that she just came in and done that.”
Gardner led the Liberty’s bench in outscoring the Sparks’ reserves 41-19. It’s the most factors New York’s bench scored in an outing since the second recreation of the season.
The Liberty’s depth has been examined this season because of accidents. An evening like Tuesday can imply a lot for the team’s general confidence, Gardner said.
“These types of games are what will help us later on down the line … where the bench is getting that experience,” she said. “We always talk about the bench [and] the better we do, the easier it is for the starters, too.”
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