While the Oregon duo Sabrina and Satou are lighting it up for Phantom in Unrivaled and just clinched another win together, the hope of them reuniting in the pros has been shattered as Sabally heads to Phoenix. And as much as the thought of not reuniting upsets Sabrina Ionescu, she seems totally confident and not too worried about the Liberty losing Sabally. 

The former Dallas Wings star made it clear that her time with the Dallas Wings was over, and she wasn’t planning on returning. After the news of Brittney Griner leaving for the Atlanta Dream, it was no surprise when the Phoenix Mercury swooped in, setting up a meeting with Sabally. 

And well, they made it happen. The Phoenix Mercury, with some serious cap space and a shiny new $100 million practice facility, made it way too appealing for Sabally to pass up. In exchange, the Dallas Wings received Ty Harris, Kiki Herbert Harrigan from the Mercury, and NaLyssa Smith and the No. 8 overall pick from the Indiana Fever. 

The Fever also got Sophie Cunningham and Phoenix’s second-round pick. Not to forget, the Wings also got Kalani Brown and Sevgi Uzun. So, when asked how she felt about her college teammate heading to Phoenix, Sabrina Ionescu expressed nothing but love.

“I mean obviously very happy for her and her decision,” the 2024 WNBA Champion said. “I think everyone who knows Satou wants what’s best for her, and that’s definitely me and wanting her to find her home and where she’s comfortable and confident playing.”

As she said she was ‘super excited’ for Sabally’s journey, you could tell the genuine emotion. But we know that New York Liberty and Indiana Fever were also in the mix to recruit the 26-year-old hooper and definitely had her as a top target. Although the trade ultimately didn’t go their way, this doesn’t bother the Phantom Guard. 

She shared that this is obviously “sad” because the reunion won’t be happening but she is “excited for the people that they have.” “We have enough and I think we all know that. We’re excited to go back and go get another one this year,” she said. 

And speaking of the championship, this trade also changes championship odds. 

Major changes to the WNBA championship odds, Sabrina Ionescu & Co. at +200

The fallout from this trade? It’s shaking up the WNBA championship odds. Phoenix, who just acquired Alyssa Thomas earlier this offseason, has seen their odds shift dramatically. They went from +3000 to +1500 after landing Sabally. 

The Mercury are clearly going all-in on a title run, and with two All-Stars—Thomas and Sabally—on the roster, they’re making a serious case for the top spot. Meanwhile, the Fever’s odds have shifted from +1300 to +650 after adding Cunningham and free agent Natasha Howard.

But the Wings are clearly in rebuild mode now and are sitting pretty low at +10000, per FanDuel Sportsbook, to win the title. However, they do have No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft.

The franchise could be looking to add a star guard like Olivia Miles or Paige Bueckers, but for now, they’re not expected to contend. As for the Fever, they’ve got Kelsey Mitchell locked in, plus Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston to form a staring starting lineup. 

So, with all these moves, it’s clear that the WNBA season is shaping up to be full of surprises. As the odds shift and teams adjust their rosters, it’s going to be fascinating to see how this all plays out. Will Sabrina Ionescu and the Liberty defend their title? Or will Phoenix, with their new acquisitions, rise to the top?