“I’m kind of from everywhere” is how Satou Sabally defined where she is from. And Islam is what she calls her religion. The Wings’ second pick in the 2020 WNBA draft had shown off her skills on the court last year. Boosting the team to a playoff spot and winning multiple accolades, the 26-year-old Sabally had outperformed herself to prove her worth. A leader for Dallas on the court and an outspoken social justice reformer off it, while these definitely define the Small Forward of Dallas, she has much more under her sleeves. Confusing everyone with her name, what is the 2023 WNBA Most Improved Player’s religion?

Telling the origins of her name, the No. 0 in Dallas disclosed that she is a Muslim and biracial, from the Anadolu Agency of Turkey. Sabally was born in New York City. However, her white German mother Heiki, and black Gambian father Jerreh from a West African country give her a unique ethnic background. Continuing on her name, she told the state-run news agency that it comes from the word ‘Aishatu‘.

The word derives itself from the name ‘Aisha‘ which holds a religious significance. Aisha was one of the wives of the prophet Muhammed. Everyone respected her and considered her a leader when it came to religion and politics. However, her name Satou also plays right in the Gambian tradition of the eldest daughter taking up the aunt’s name.

Growing up in a compound in Gambia and being from a financially humble family, the 6-ft-4 guard always looked out for her teammates. But this was not the only reason why everyone was so fond of the off-court intense leader. Their coach Kelly Graves beamed because he had a player under his wing who helped refine the program and wanted to make a real change in the world.

Satou Sabally is a unicorn for the world

There is no denying that the All-WNBA First Team player is a menace on the court. Averaging 18.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, she has made up for her back injury missed games. However, what she does other than basketball is also in her identity’s dictionary. She is a vocal enthusiast for equal rights, equal pay, and a UNICEF supporter. She joined hands with the VIS organization to empower people. Sharing about one of her sessions with her 211,000 Instagram followers, Satou Sabally posted with VIS about a virtual session. The caption reads, “Join @satou_sabally in this virtual session about how to ADVOCATE THROUGH SPORT powered by the @WNBA Changemakers.”

The Wings’ standout performer has a degree in general social sciences. This included crime, law, and society. She also chose legal studies as her minor focus. Eventually, she bolstered her voice to express what being a biracial, black-skinned woman athlete in three countries was like. She also built The Satou Sabally Court in Berlin to help young girls who are too intimidated or are not joined by the older boys playing outside.

With the passing years, she is not only creating a name in the WNBA but also in the world. Being a person who has lived varying experiences, it will be worth a watch how she changes the world one step at a time.