Sato Sabally, a forward, officially made her debut for the Liberty on Thursday night against the Golden State Valkyries.
Sabally, who was the Liberty’s most significant free agent signing this offseason, had to miss two preseason games while she worked on her conditioning.
Just before the season opener, the team revealed that she was out due to a cyst.
After returning to practice on Monday, Sabally expressed that she was feeling good. “Pretty good,” was how she described her condition following the shootaround.
She commented, “I’ll do whatever I can, and anything that’s asked of me… I’m just really enjoying my time here. Also, what happened last year,” referring to her concussion in the WNBA Finals, “was traumatic in a way—like, how do I want to play? This year, my focus is to enjoy the hard play and competition.”
Coach Chris DeMarco anticipates Sabally will log around 20 minutes in the game. He remarked, “Honestly, I just want to watch her play. It’s tough right now; I haven’t seen her in our lineup together. This being her first game, I want her to feel comfortable and to enjoy the game as it flows.”
Sabally’s return follows the Liberty’s recent decision to waive forward Aubrey Griffin on May 8, amidst multiple absences on the team.
Meanwhile, Sabrina Ionescu will have to wait a little longer for her season debut. DeMarco mentioned that “she looks good,” but added that it depends on her recovery and how she feels in the coming days. They’re happy with her progress, though.
Additionally, Bethnia Rainey Hamilton has been ruled out due to personal matters.
The Liberty are also set to bring Raquel Carrera and Leoni Fievich into the squad soon, both of whom recently won the Spanish league title with Valencia. Carrera participated in the morning shootaround, but DeMarco did not specify when either she or Fievich would be available to play.
