WNBA, Liberty agree to suspend Isiah Thomas' ownership application

NEW YORK -- The WNBA and the New York Liberty have agreed to suspend consideration of Liberty president Isiah Thomas' application for an ownership interest in the club indefinitely, the league said in a statement.

"After further discussion and with the season underway, the WNBA and the New York Liberty have agreed to suspend consideration of Isiah Thomas' application for an ownership interest in the Liberty until further notice," the statement from the WNBA said Monday. "The process will resume at a future time as determined by the Liberty."

Thomas is still the president of the team, and he said in an interview with The Associated Press at the start of the season that the two positions weren't directly connected. A source confirmed that Monday's announcement will not affect his role as team president.

WNBA president Laurel J. Richie said when Thomas was hired as president in early May that it was "first and foremost a team decision."

Thomas' ownership bid is being vetted by a committee of six owners from the WNBA's board of governors.

The bid for ownership had drawn criticism from some women's groups due to Thomas' role as a defendant in a sexual harassment suit involving a female executive at Madison Square Garden.

In 2007, when Thomas was coaching the New York Knicks, Madison Square Garden executive Anucha Browne Sanders alleged that he sexually harassed her. Although Thomas maintained his innocence, a jury found that Madison Square Garden, the owner of the team, improperly fired Browne Sanders for complaining about the unwanted advances. The jury also ruled that Browne Sanders was entitled to $11.6 million in damages from MSG and MSG executive chairman James Dolan.

A portion of the money ($6 million) was awarded for the jury's ruling that Thomas aided and abetted a hostile work environment. The rest of the money was awarded because Browne Sanders was found to have been fired for complaining about the environment.

Thomas and Madison Square Garden have disputed the jury's findings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.