The New York Liberty have closely dodged a major injury scare. In their recent matchup against the Las Vegas Aces, Liberty guard Satou Sabally suffered a brutal elbow to the face as she was attempting a rebound.
The Aces versus Liberty was a closely contested game. At around the 6:17 mark in the second quarter, Sabally took an elbow to the face as both Sabally and NaLyssa Smith attempted to reach for the ball for a rebound.
There were rumors after the match that the injury could be concussion-related and that she could potentially miss some game time. But Coach DeMarco has put those rumors to rest. As per Madeline Kenny on X, DeMarco has assured that Sabally is “alright” and is “not being evaluated for a concussion.”
The blow appeared quite serious at the outset, as Sabally was taken out of the game and was helped off the court by her teammates. She did not return for the rest of the game and was replaced by Leonie Fiebich.
It was a disappointing night for Sabally, to say the least. Although she has been fairly consistent for the Liberty team until now, she only managed to make an assist and a block against the Aces on Tuesday. So far, she has averaged 11.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2 assists per match this season.
Sabally has been highly efficient for the Liberty despite her limited play time, especially coming off the bench. While averaging 17.5 minutes per game, she is also shooting 40.8% from the three-point range and 47.4% from the field, indicating quick offensive impact.
She has been instrumental in spreading the floor for this Liberty team. This allows others around her to score freely and more efficiently. Because of her high shooting percentage from beyond the arc, teammates like Breanna Stewart can get inside the paint and score.
Coach DeMarco has also praised her versatility on the court.
“She’s doing a really good job,” he said to the media in a release. “She’s played with a lot of different lineups and as we continue to ramp her up and get her more comfortable, she’ll definitely have the ball in her hands a little bit more,” he added.
Sabally’s role cannot be diminished as she has been a saving grace for an injury plagued New York team. As the Liberty cope up to recover from back-to-back losses, Sabally’s role off the bench has definitely helped the team redeem itself in the league.
New York Liberty have had their fair share of injury troubles this season. While on paper they have the credentials to put up a run for the championship, the reality has been quite different.
Recurrent injuries to star player Sabrina Ionescu have meant that she has barely featured this season. After rolling her ankle in the preseason, she has had trouble with a left foot injury and a bout of back soreness. She has only played limited minutes till now.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton also suffered from knee-related issues, missing some game time in the mid-June period this season.
Liberty’s squad depth was further tested early on in the season, as overseas commitments from players like Raquel Carrera and Leonie Fiebic stretched their squad thin. This meant that the front office had to utilize hardship contract exemptions just to field a squad in May.
Sabally herself has had some injury and fitness issues this season. She suffered from some concussion symptoms during the 2025 WNBA Finals and was recovering from a medical cyst early in the season.
If Liberty are to make a deep run into the season, they will need their full squad, including Sabally, at their best to mount a serious challenge.
