Liberty float set for NYC pride parade

NEW YORK — Shavonte Zellous is thrilled that the New York Liberty will have a float in today’s pride parade, the first for a sports franchise in the city.

“I’m excited. I haven’t been in a pride parade before, so I think I’m more excited than most,” said Zellous, a guard who wore rainbow-colored shoes Friday night for the Liberty’s pride game. “Especially with the stuff that happened in Orlando last year. I want to thank the (WNBA) and the Liberty for doing a thing like this.”

New York players, coaches and front-office staff will be on the float rolling down Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, ending in the West Village. Liberty President Isiah Thomas has always wanted the team to be trailblazers, and having a float in the parade was important to him.

“We like to lead and our motto is ‘Show up,’” he said. “We’ve been the first in a lot of the social justice and equality areas and standing up and speaking out, and we invite all the other leagues and sports teams to participate and follow.”

The WNBA has been at the forefront of pride activities over the last four years, with all of the teams getting involved. Many players have marched at pride parades before, but no teams have had a float, according to the league.

SPARKS 84, FEVER 73: In Indianapolis, Los Angeles and Nneka Ogwumike’s 21 points may not have spoiled the jersey retirement ceremony of retired Indianapolis star Tamika Catchings. But they certainly didn’t help.

Catchings. a five-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, a 10-time All-Star and a four-time Olympic gold medalist, is now the director of player programs for the Pacers and the Fever.