India, May 14 -- The New York Liberty suffered a narrow 98-96 loss to the Portland Fire, but much of the postgame attention centered around rookie guard Pauline Astier.

Playing just the third game of her WNBA career, the 24-year-old French guard delivered an outstanding performance with 24 points, leading the Liberty in scoring during the close contest.

After the opening week of the WNBA season, Pauline Astier has already emerged as one of the league's early breakout stories. Across her first three WNBA appearances, she has totaled 47 points while averaging 15.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game.

According to basketball statistics trackers, Pauline Astier became one of only three players in WNBA history to record at least ...