Sabrina Ionescu reveals surprising injury truth before Liberty return
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Sabrina Ionescu reveals surprising injury truth before Liberty return originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The wait is finally over for New York Liberty fans. After weeks of uncertainty surrounding her ankle injury, Sabrina Ionescu confirmed Saturday that she plans to make her 2026 season debut Sunday against the Dallas Wings. But it was her explanation of the injury that quickly grabbed attention around the WNBA.
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“I could put weight on my foot, so I knew it wasn't major,” Ionescu told reporters, according to ESPN. “But it wasn't not injury.”
That balance between relief and frustration has defined the start of Ionescu’s season after she suffered the injury during a preseason game on May 4. The Liberty star revealed she did suffer structural damage in the ankle, though she emphasized the injury healed faster than expected and will not require surgery moving forward.
“Once it healed, I'm good to go,” Ionescu said. “I'm really excited to be back and work myself back into feeling good as it continues to heal.”
Things change for New York
The update immediately changes the outlook for New York early in the season. Despite missing one of the league’s biggest stars, the Liberty have managed to start 3-2 under new head coach Chris DeMarco. But the offense has clearly lacked the full rhythm and pace Ionescu typically provides when she is on the floor.
Last season, the Liberty guard averaged 18.2 points, 5.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals across 38 games while continuing to establish herself as one of the faces of the league. Her return now comes at a critical point in the season with the Liberty trying to keep pace near the top of the WNBA standings. Ionescu also shared that she attacked rehab aggressively while sidelined, using underwater treadmill sessions and other conditioning work to stay physically prepared for her return. Because of that, she said she does not feel far behind conditioning-wise despite missing the opening stretch of the season.
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Remain cautious early
Still, New York appears likely to remain cautious.
Ionescu called herself “day-to-day” even while confirming she expects to play Sunday. She also admitted she is uncertain whether she will be available on Monday when the Liberty face the Portland Fire on the second night of a back-to-back.
For now, though, the biggest development is simple: one of the WNBA’s premier stars is officially back.
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