Nyara Sabally towered over the nurses as she walked down the fifth-floor hallway of the HSS Lerner Children's Pavilion on Wednesday morning.
When she arrived at the first pediatric patient's room, she empathized with the little girl sitting on the edge of the hospital bed.
“It feels like it wasn't that long ago that I was here,” Sabally said.
Sabally underwent surgery on his right knee at the same hospital just a month after being drafted fifth overall by the New York Liberty in 2022.
The recovery process delayed her WNBA debut by a year, and the fact that she had already torn her right ACL twice in college raised further concerns about the longevity of her career.
Sabally then quelled those concerns and earned a spot in the Liberty's future plans with a stellar performance in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals to help win the game.
She had 13 points and seven rebounds in Liberty's title-clinching overtime win, and that performance may be a contributing factor to why she is not currently a member of the Golden State Valkyries.
WNBA teams were allowed to protect six players from the Valkyries' expansion draft earlier this month. Golden State ultimately acquired forward Kayla Thornton from Liberty.
Sabally said she was on the plane when Valkyrie's nomination was announced and learned the Liberty had lost Thornton when the plane landed.
“Obviously I was very sad,” said Sabally, who sent a heartfelt message to Thornton. “It was still very hard because KT holds a special place in my heart. But I would have chosen her too. She is the perfect person to choose to start a new team. Just her energy. She's a great vet. I've had her for two years and now it's time for others to enjoy her and enjoy her presence.”
At the Liberty Celebration Parade held at the Canyon of Heroes, there was talk of the team being one of the few teams to be chosen multiple times as champions. However, Thornton's departure left a big hole on New York's bench.
Sabally should have a bigger role in 2025, and general manager Jonathan Kolb did not rule out acquiring a player to fill the wing hole.
Among the free agents that come to mind is Sabally's older sister, Sato Sabally, a two-time WNBA All-Star who spent the past five seasons with the Dallas Wings.
While the Sabally sisters' reunion is a dream come true for their mother, Nyala Sabally said she will support her sister no matter where she falls.
“Of course we want her to come hang out with us,” Sabally said. “But that's for her to decide for herself. There's a lot going on that she needs to understand. … She's going to make great decisions wherever she goes.”
Sabally has been busy since winning the WNBA title.
She and Liberty teammate Leonie Fibich appeared on Germany's popular soccer show Das aktuelle Sportstudio last month. She also represented Liberty in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Wednesday's hospital visit was just one of her several responsibilities as part of Liberty's “Season of Giving” campaign to give back to the community.
Sabally wanted to bring some Christmas cheer to the children and their families in the inpatient unit on the fifth floor of the hospital. She handed out Liberty bags, seafoam bracelets, autographed photos, and words of encouragement.
“It's really great to see the patients…I know how you feel after surgery. You feel a little depressed,” Sabally said. “So giving a little bit of joy to a child is not so much fun, especially when you're in the hospital at this time of year. So just doing something small and putting a smile on someone's face can go a long way.” is.”
The visit caused Sabally to think about his injury journey thus far. She survived three grueling knee rehab sessions and believes she is better after facing that adversity.
“I feel like that’s one of the strongest traits I have.” [is] I’ve had a lot of injuries, so I had patience and there was always something going on,” Sabally said. “It's really hard to move on and move past all the injuries, but it's something I feel like I've really grown.
“I always say I'm not glad it happened, but it shaped me into the person I am today. … It has a way of working itself out.”
Sabally will play in Türkiye during this WNBA offseason, which begins after the holidays.
She may have made strides in her second WNBA season, but she's still far from finished.
While playing overseas, he wants to focus on improving his 3-point shooting and defense.
“My whole game has grown, I'm more comfortable, I'm more confident. I think that's always a big thing. [point of emphasis]” Sabally said. “And game officials are the only way we can make that happen.”
