The 2011 WNBA season will be John "Whiz" Whisenant's first season as general manager and head coach for the New York Liberty. Whisenant brings more than 30 years of basketball experience to his new role with the Liberty.

Prior to the Liberty, Whisenant spent seven seasons with the Sacramento Monarchs serving as general manager, and as head coach for three full seasons (2004-2006) and two partial seasons (2003, 2006). While serving as head coach he compiled a .612 winning percentage (85-54) and led the Monarchs to the playoffs six out of seven years with three conference finals appearances. In 2005 he helped lead the Monarchs to the team's first WNBA Championship and Whisenant also received the WNBA Coach of the Year Award the same year. In two of the three full seasons Whisenant served as coach, a Monarchs player was named WNBA Most Improved Player. Whisenant's playoff coaching record is 19- 10.

Whisenant's successful career as a college basketball coach includes stints at the University of Mexico, Arizona Western College and Coffeyville Community College, where he combined for an impressive .734 winning percentage (282-102). As head coach at Arizona Western University, he led the team to three league championships. While on the coaching staff at the University of New Mexico, the team won two WAC Championships.

As a player, Whisenant began his basketball career at Connors State College in Warner, Oklahoma averaging 20.5 ppg. He did this while simultaneously leading the baseball team in hitting with a batting average of .377. He soon joined the New Mexico State Aggies where he became a starting guard. "Whiz" was NMSU's second leading scorer in his senior season, averaging 13.1 points-pergame.

A Gore, Oklahoma native, Whisenant holds a B.S. degree in Physical Education from New Mexico State University and earned an M.A. in History from Pittsburg State University.